What is Aerial Assist?

For 2014, the FRC game is called “Aerial Assist” The game is played by two competing alliances of three robots on a flat, 25 x 54 foot field, straddled across the center by a truss suspended five feet above the floor. Each alliance competes to score as many  goals as they can during a two-minute and thirty-second match. The more balls scored in the goal, and the more alliances work together to score, the more points will be awarded. The match beings with one, ten-second autonomous period, in which robots operate independently of the driver. Each robot may begin the autonomous period with a ball and attempt to score it in a goal. Alliances earn bonus points for scoring balls during this period and for any robots that move into their zone (either red or blue zone - see field diagram). Additionally, each high/low pair of goals will be designated "hot," where extra points can be earned, for five seconds; the order of which side of goals are "hot" is randomized. For the rest of the match, drivers remotely control robots from behind a protective wall. Once all balls in play during autonomous mode are scored, only one ball is re-entered into play, and the alliances must cycle a single ball as many times as possible for the remainder of the match. With the single ball, they try to maximize their points earned by working together to throw the ball over the truss, catch the ball launched over the truss, and score high and low goals on the far side of the field. Alliances recieve points for "assists," which are earned for each robot that has possession of the bal in a zone as the ball moves down the field. 



To learn more about Aerial Assist, click here to visit the FIRST Robotics Competiton "2014 FRC Game" page.