Rotating-Light Placement

[Winged Globe]

We are thinking of designing a robot that will tip on its side. In M8, the rule states:

Robots must use the rotating light provided in the kit to display their alliance color (red or blue). The light must be mounted upright on the robot so that the color is always visible from a distance of at least 100 feet.

Should "upright" be in relation to the starting position or the position we plan to operate the robot in?

Also, if the light is obscured from a certain direction, 1) will it matter all that much? 2) can we use a second light?

I'm hoping someone can answer from experience before I go deal with the rather slow FIRST board...

Thanks.

[rbayer]

Last year, Beatty Hammond had a similar design; their robot started vertically and dropped down so it was five-feet long. Picture here.

Their light was mounted so that it was upright while the robot was driving.

As for the obscurity, it really matters how much you plan to have the light obscured. Having a .75" Al bar in front isn't a big deal. Having Aluminum plate surrounding it is. The checklist states "visible from 4 sides of robot" as the requirement here.

Anyway, this is an issue you should contact FIRST with. It would be a disaster to get there thinking you were OK and then having a judge make you remount the whole thing.