Category Archive

Quick Summary: Field-centric drive is a control system commonly used in FTC mecanum drivetrains that keeps robot movement aligned to the field instead of the robot’s orientation. Unlike robot-centric drive, drivers do not need to mentally adjust controls when the robot rotates. This article explains what field-centric drive is, how it works, the math behind it, and common considerations teams should understand … Read More

Quick Summary: The FTC Starter Bot Build Guide is a preseason robotics learning tool designed to help rookie and developing FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC) teams build foundational engineering skills before the 2026-2027 season kickoff. It introduces drivetrain design, wiring, CAD, and mechanical assembly using FTC-style components so teams can enter the season more prepared and confident. Get Ready with the … Read More

Quick Summary: This article walks FTC teams through everything needed to program a mecanum drivebase using the FTC Drive Base Kit from Studica Robotics. You’ll learn how mecanum wheels work, how to configure motors in the Driver Hub, build a working TeleOp program, create a basic autonomous routine, and improve performance through tuning techniques like dead zones and input scaling. … Read More

Quick Summary: The countdown is on for the FIRST® Championship 2026. Teams from around the world are heading to Houston for this global robotics event featuring FTC DECODE™ and FRC REBUILT™, bringing together thousands of students, mentors, and innovators. This is where the FIRST® AGE™ season comes to life. Welcome to FIRST® Championship 2026 The energy is building, the robots are … Read More

Quick Summary: Your robot’s drivetrain determines how it moves on the field, how easy it is to control, and how well it performs during matches. For FTC teams and other robotics programs, the most common options are tank drive, mecanum drive, and other holonomic systems like X-Drive or Kiwi (A-Frame). This article breaks down the advantages, disadvantages, programming complexity, and … Read More

Quick Summary: Prototyping effective FTC intake and shooter systems for your robot is key for teams at any stage of the build season. Even without complex CAD designs, teams can experiment with different wheel types, gear motors, and mounting setups to maximize reliability, consistency, and scoring performance. Robotics prototyping is about learning what works and refining performance over time, not … Read More