[FTC]: Clarification for Robot Starting Position

Other FIRST Tech Challenge
1

Chief Delphi Forum,

We are FTC team Charging Champions. We have a question regarding the robot setup in the parking zone before the match starts. Can the robot be placed on the tape? We set up the left wheel of our robot on the tape. The rules only state that the robot cannot start outside the tape, but is on the tape fine?

Regards,

Charging Champions
Team 8660

2

This is better posted on the Q&A (and I’m doing FRC rather than FTC, so I’m sure to be missing the subtleties there), but i suspect that the key questions are: is ANY PART of your robot over the tape, or is just the part touching the floor in contact with the tape, without the rest hanging over? Is the zone which is defined by the tape an AREA (on the floor), or a VOLUME (extends from there to the ceiling, or perhaps into interstellar space)?

3

Your robot can start on the tape. Because the Parking Zone begins at the outer edge of the tape.

However remember that your robot must be touching the back wall at the start of the match while in the parking zone.

Actually I don’t see an official response.

At the 4 events I have been to, you could be on the tape. Hmmm. Interesting.

4

Thank you for the clarification on our question. We greatly appreciate it.

Team 8660
Charging Champions

5

At our previous competition we began on the tape but not outside. We were hanging above the tape. Make sure you are still touching the wall.