Design. Build. Destroy. Canberra's premier university combat robotics competition — 150g antweight class. Organised by ANU RRC & UC Robo in partnership with Canberra Combat Robotics.
BattleBots is a combat robotics competition where university students design, build, and fight 150-gram antweight robots in a polycarbonate arena. Robots compete head-to-head in 3-minute matches, with wins by knockout, pit-out, or judges' decision.
Co-organised by the ANU Robotics & RC Club and UC Robo at University of Canberra, in partnership with the Canberra Combat Robotics Group (CCR), this event is open to students of all experience levels. Kits are available for beginners, and workshops will guide you from design to competition day.
The competition follows the SPARC Robot Construction Specifications v1.5 adapted by CCR for Canberra events, with matches governed by SPARC Match Rules v1.2.
Design workshops, 3D printing sessions, and hands-on build days at UC Workshop 7. We'll help you go from idea to fighting robot.
Don't know where to start? Purchase a kit with motors, electronics, receiver and optional transmitter. Just design your chassis and weapon.
Fights take place in a polycarbonate enclosed arena with pit drops in two corners. Spectator-friendly and safe.
ANU and UC students welcome. No prior robotics experience required — just enthusiasm and a willingness to learn (and break things).
Standard antweight: 150g (0.33 lb). Shufflers get a 1.25× bonus (225g). Walkers get a 2× bonus (300g). Your robot must weigh in at or under the limit at competition.
Only non-spillable batteries permitted (LiPo, NiMh, LiFe, etc.). Voltages above 48V require prior approval. A manual disconnect must be accessible within 15 seconds. A visible power LED is required.
2.4GHz spread-spectrum systems required. Must have failsafe that stops all motion on signal loss. At least 2 frequency channels required. Toy radios may be allowed for antweights without active weapons.
Weapon locks must be clearly visible at all times outside the arena (e.g. "remove before flight" tags). Full deactivation within 60 seconds by manual disconnect. Wheels must be off-ground when not in arena.
Any materials allowed for standard class. Suggested: 3D printed (TPU, Nylon, CF-PLA+), composites (carbon fibre, Kevlar), metals (aluminium, mild steel). Design for easy repair.
Rotational weapons allowed. Must stop within 60 seconds of power removal with self-contained braking. Weapons that contact arena outer walls need pre-approval.
No electrical weapons, RF jamming, entangling devices (nets, tapes, strings), liquid weapons, projectiles, fire/heat, explosives, smoke, bright lasers, or hazardous materials. Internal combustion engines are not permitted.
Tethered projectiles, heat/fire weapons, smoke effects, pneumatics (without prior organiser approval), and ICE engines are all prohibited at CCR events.
Vertical, horizontal, or drum spinners. High damage output. Can be vertical disc, horizontal bar, or compact drum.
Uses a mechanical arm to flip opponents over. Pancake-style flippers are popular at antweight. Great control-focused design.
Low-profile wedge that gets under opponents. Simple, durable, and effective. The classic "door stopper 2.0" approach.
Overhead striking weapon. Dramatic and crowd-pleasing. Requires careful weight distribution at 150g.
Clamps onto opponents and controls their movement. Push them into pits or pin them against walls.
Non-wheeled locomotion allows double the weight at 300g. Complex but rewarding if you can pull it off.
If a robot can't demonstrate controlled translational movement within a 10-second countdown, it loses. Attacking a "dead" robot resets the count.
The arena has pit drops in two corners. Pits open with 1 minute remaining. Push your opponent in to win instantly.
If both robots survive to the buzzer, judges score on damage, aggression, and control to determine the winner.
A driver can concede at any time by informing the referee verbally or pressing the tap-out button.
Tournament Format: Round Robin for 5 or fewer robots; Double Elimination for 6+. Modified single un-stick rule applies — you get one free un-stick only if the opponent didn't cause it.
Entry fees, kits, and t-shirts — all in one place. Club membership gives you access to discounted rates and workshop sessions.
Join ANU RRC or UC Robo, grab a kit, and start designing your 150g fighting machine.