Take part in Unibots UK
Bring together some curious people, build an autonomous robot, and put your ideas to the test against university teams from across the UK.
2025-2026 season sign-ups are closed. Get in touch to hear about the next season.
You do not need to be a robotics expert
Teams own the full process. There is no single correct solution, and every match gives you something new to take back to the build table. Teams can start with any level of experience and choose how ambitious to make their solution.
Enter with friends, coursemates, or a university society - there is no maximum team size (although smaller groups are often easier to coordinate). You do not need a complete team list immediately, and multiple teams from one university are welcome.
Use the rules to understand the arena, scoring, robot limits, and safety requirements. There are many valid approaches, so choose a strategy your team can build and test.
Open the 2026 rules →Register each team separately. If some details are still uncertain, send your best estimate and confirm the final team with the organisers later. Registration is free!
Register now →Start as soon as you can, test often, and bring questions to the participant Discord. Lecturers and technicians can advise, but students should do most of the design and build. Event facilities are intended for minor emergency repairs rather than major building.
Ask the community on Discord →
2026 robot essentials
A compact autonomous robot that competes in the arena, collecting ping pong balls and steel ball bearings to score.
The competition year
Regionals let teams try the arena and improve their robots before the two-day finals. Regionals do not determine qualification, and teams may attend multiple.
Alongside practice matches and a full day of head-to-head competition, teams can take part in networking, flash talks including sponsor talks, and a robotics-themed team activity.
More ways to succeed
Winning matches is not the only thing worth celebrating. Unibots also recognises interesting engineering and teams that share their journey.
The top three robots receive certificates after each regional league competition.
The top three robots receive prizes after the finals knockout competition.
Recognising the robot with outstanding creativity, technology, or design.
Recognising a team that shares its build journey through social media or a blog.
Participant questions
These answers bring the participant FAQ into one place. The rulebook remains the final source for detailed competition rules.
As soon as possible. Start when you return to university and avoid leaving the main build until the last minute. Events only have facilities for minor emergency repairs.
No. There is no fee to register a team or attend events.
No. Teams cover their own travel and accommodation, but the organisers can provide evidence to support a university funding request. Email unibots.uk.comp@gmail.com.
Yes. Teams may attend multiple regionals, but travel costs are not sponsored.
No. Regionals are for trying your robot in the arena and learning before finals. A somewhat working robot will make the day more useful, but it does not need to be finalised.
Universities may enter multiple teams, and there is no maximum team size. Each team should register separately.
They may give advice and check designs, but students should complete most of the design and building work themselves.
Yes. There is no maximum number of ping pong balls or ball bearings the robot may hold.
No. All processing, including computer vision and action prediction, must happen within the robot during a match. A Raspberry Pi, NVIDIA Jetson, other single-board computer, or phone contained within the robot may be used, but it must not use internet-based processing. During robot safety inspections, we will be asking questions for this, and during the finals teams will not be allowed to compete unless the judges are satisfied that the robot is doing all its own processing.
Yes, provided the ball is touching the robot or another ball that is physically attached to it. A ball merely surrounded by the robot without touching it is not counted.
All robots that are colliding are reset as previous years, however, this year, if the balls are contained within or physically attached the robot (such that when the robot is picked up, the balls come with it) the balls will be kept within the robot (see rule 1.11.2).
The process for a reset happens like so:
Finals inspections use exact 200 x 200 x 200mm and 300 x 300 x 300mm sizing tools. Robots that do not fit cannot compete for prizes. Regionals may allow robots that are only slightly over-size (by 20-30mm) so teams can still practise.
Team registration
Complete the form below to register when sign-ups are open. If Google Forms does not load on your device, use the direct form link instead.
Having trouble with the embedded form? Open it in a new tab →