[EricH]

Originally Posted by Darre_Bonfire

When it comes to picking up gears, you need to be careful. If a gear is dropped onto to ground of the launch pad of the opposing alliance, then it is considered "belonging to" the opposing alliance. I don't believe we are allowed to pick it up at that point, I could be wrong.

There's nothing in the rules (or Q&A) saying that about the launch pad. Gears on the field are fair game regardless of location (pending other rules violations, say if they're still inside another robot).

Alliance Station != Loading Lane != Launchpad. The main concern about gears being dropped or changing spaces has been Loading Lane to Alliance Station.