2019 FRC Season – Destination: Deep Space

Destination: Deep Space is the game for the 2019 FIRST Robotics Competition. The game is played by two alliances of three teams each. Their robots compete on a field by scoring discs which represent hatch panels and balls which represent cargo into either a cargo ship or a rocket ship. The rocket ship has three different scoring levels with the highest being 8 feet tall while the cargo ship contains 8 goals all at the bottom level. Located on either side of the field are three platforms or “habitats” each at different heights with the most challenging height being 4 feet tall. The teams earn ranking points for climbing onto these habitats depending on the number of robots that climb and how high they climb. The goal for each alliance is to work together to score as much cargo and hatch panels as possible before returning to the habitat at the end of the match. More Information can be found on Wikipedia .

Specs of robot

Name – Geoffrey

Robot Code – Unavailable

CAD – Unavailable

Robot Abilities

For the fifth consecutive year, we used our mecanum wheel system as our drivetrain. To pick up and stack the totes and garbage bins, Nighthawk had two pneumatic powered claws, one on the top of the robot and the other on the bottom. The bottom claw was attached to a metal column that allowed vertical movement. The top claw was useful in holding the trash bin in place while the totes were being stacked. With the two claws and its tall height, Nighthawk was able to successfully stack 6 totes and a trash bin on top of it, maximizing the potential points in game.

Where we competed

  • Los Angeles Regional
    • Rank 26 with a record of 8-11-1
  • Aerospace Valley Regional
    • Rank 24 with a record of 4-8-0
  • World Championships in Houston
    • Rank 46 with a record of 5-5-0

Offseason Competitions

  • Wings Over Camarillo
    • Rank 12 with a record of 7-7-0
  • Battleship Blast
    • Rank 11 with a record of 4-7-0

Results

Nighthawk was able to successfully stack 6 totes with a bin on top in several competitions, but often had a difficult time if it or the totes were even slightly misaligned. Originally, it also had a problem with tipping due to its uneven weight distribution, with was later fixed with the addition of a back wheel.