I heard that there’s a maximum velocity set that the ball can travel after being fired from your robot. Can anybody tell me what that limit is? I can’t seem to find it in the FIRST rulebook.
Unless a rule update says otherwise, there is no limit to how fast a robot may shoot a ball(with the exception of 186,000 Miles/second).
The rule you are thinking of was made in 06 to prevent injuries in the crowd. I don’t think that will be an issue this year because too much speed will prevent scoring.
Ah, I had a feeling that was the case. Thank you, I don’t think we plan on using any neutrinos on our bot, Haha.
Too bad purposely sending balls out of play is illegal, that’d be fun 
Watch for rule updates, I am certain this will be updated after the first round of Q&A questions are answered.
I feel as though you may be hearing of a speed limit in Aim High, where teams were advised to not launch a ball at a high speed (12 m/s ?) for it to be counted in the top circle.
I can’t cite that rule without being able to place my cursor on a rulebook online, but I wouldn’t worry about what’s not in the current rules.
1 Like
I would doubt it. There’s plenty of members on the GDC who remember the maximum muzzle velocity rule from Aim High. If they wanted a maximum, they would have written it in.
If your robot damages something by shooting the ball, it will get a red card. Just my guess…
The only thing holding you back currently is
[R08]
Robot parts shall not be made from hazardous materials, be unsafe, cause an unsafe condition, or interfere with the operation of other Robots.
(emphasis mine)
If someone (like a ref!) is standing a few feet from your robot when it shoots straight at them, how much are they going to get hurt if the ball hits them? You’re going to have to meet some definition of safe conditions with the firing of your robot… the only question (for me at least) is exactly what that definition of safe is.