FRC Blog - Australia Regional Event Logistics

[Aren Siekmeier]

Originally Posted by JB987

Gee, only $6000 one way? Hey it's only money right?

Ok so I saw the mockery coming a mile away. No, its not cheap. But remember FIRST does have the support of Fedex, who already supplies 1 or 2 thousand to each CMP team every year (and used to do a heck of a lot more!). I think $6000 market value is not a totally unreasonable number for FedEx, FIRST, and 359 to work out between themselves, when FedEx donates millions in robot shipping annually, and FIRST and 359 are no strangers to shipping robot crates overseas.

But I'm a member of none of these parties, so I'll stop talking.

[sanddrag]

Would it be cheaper to charter a private boat, and transport the robot and students all in one shot?

Originally Posted by PayneTrain

This might sound totally insane but I wonder if teams who want to go to this and build a duplicate robot could get exempted.

That's pretty brilliant. I don't see a reason to not allow that in this circumstance.

[tcjinaz]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Would it be cheaper to charter a private boat, and transport the robot and students all in one shot?

That's pretty brilliant. I don't see a reason to not allow that in this circumstance.

That;s a long trip at 15-20 knots. Figure a month on either side. You might go to Australia, win, and then not make it to St Louis in time. The students get a semester at sea?

The multiple robot thing would take some real close inspection of the rules. Bag & tag two, one for competition in North America, and another for the Antipodes?

Don't get me wrong, going to Australia is a 3853 dream from our early days. And I almost got our lead Teacher fired up about this one...

That semester at sea thing is starting to sound like fun. I have posited for a long time that a useful curriculum could be built around FIRST. Take it to sea and the biology, language and visual arts fall in with no effort.

TJ

[waialua359]

Originally Posted by compwiztobe

Ok so I saw the mockery coming a mile away. No, its not cheap. But remember FIRST does have the support of Fedex, who already supplies 1 or 2 thousand to each CMP team every year (and used to do a heck of a lot more!). I think $6000 market value is not a totally unreasonable number for FedEx, FIRST, and 359 to work out between themselves, when FedEx donates millions in robot shipping annually, and FIRST and 359 are no strangers to shipping robot crates overseas.

But I'm a member of none of these parties, so I'll stop talking.

FedEx Hawaii has already provided support in the past to teams that go to and from Hawaii, to other events. Its the same support that has allowed the international teams to participate here in Hawaii, as I was told.
We were already informed by our Hawaii group that we would receive support on shipment if we participate in Australia.
Our main concern is the robot getting to the Sydney event on time from a week 1 regional in California.

[JB987]

Glenn,
Glad to hear FedEx is supporting your shipping effort to Australia and other parts. Shipping robots and pit stuff internationally itself doesn't take so long...the biggest time sink is with customs (or so it was for the four team crates we shipped to/from China). Something tells me you will be able to get through customs faster in Australia though

[waialua359]

Originally Posted by JB987

Glenn,
Glad to hear FedEx is supporting your shipping effort to Australia and other parts. Shipping robots and pit stuff internationally itself doesn't take so long...the biggest time sink is with customs (or so it was for the four team crates we shipped to/from China). Something tells me you will be able to get through customs faster in Australia though

Thanks Joe!
Our Hawaii RD is the reason why we get the support.
Has nothing to do with the FIRST Fedex support.

We need the FIRST Fedex support when we do IE week 1.

Good luck in Dallas!

Glenn

[waialua359]

We are currently waiting more information on the shipping logistics for shipping to and from this event, and have been in continuous contact with the organizers.

If it cant be worked out, then I guess see everyone who is going to be in Madera week 2.