We are a rookie team that is unsure about the rules as to the required clearance of the bottom of the robot chassis from the field carpet. Is there any or are we misreading?
It must be greater than zero. You don’t want to be disabled for tearing up the carpet, and then have to redesign before you can play again.
Don’t forget that around the pyramids there will be bumps in the floor, I think the manual said 1/4 or 3/8 inch, to accommodate the plates that hold the pyramid.
Other than that, it’s up to the team.
You should also think about driving over frisbees - You want to be able to drive over them without pushing them unless you are doing floor pickup. The reason is if you have more than 4 discs in active control, you are in violation of G24, thus the design should not allow for herding of discs (non-consequential contact is typically unpenalized).
Another constraint is your bumpers. Bumpers must be within the 2"-10" range as specified by R25, meaning at least 2" above the ground and no more than 10" above. Total bumper height is around 5". This is a constraint on the bumpers, not the frame. Your frame could hover at 1/2" (not recommended) and be perfectly legal.