Q&A
VEX IQ Robotics Competition 2026-2027: Level Up
Marcado: GG1
Welcome to the official VEX IQ Robotics Competition Question & Answer system, where all registered teams have the opportunity to ask for official rules interpretations and clarifications. This Q&A system is the only source for official VIQRC rules clarifications, and the clarifications made here from the Game Design Committee (GDC) are considered as official and binding as the written Game Manual itself.
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3181: Could switch Loader
In <GG1>, Drive Team must remain in their Drive Station.
Does the "their" mean they own team's?
Could the Loader go to teammate's Drive Station to Load Bean Bag?
For example, the red team's Loader go to the left Drive Station and the blue team's Loader go to the right Drive Station.
Respondido por committee
The Team assigned to the red Driver Station must stay in the red Driver Station, and the Team assigned to the blue Driver Station must stay in the blue Driver Station, except when legally interacting with their Robot per <GG10>.
Drive Team Members are not allowed to leave their assigned Driver Station to go Load Bean Bags in the other Team's Driver Station.
Respondido por committee
Yes. However, as stated in the game manual, "If there are any conflicts between the English-language PDF of the Game Manual and other supplemental or translated materials (e.g., referee training materials, the VIQRC Hub app, the game reveal video, a translated game manual, etc.), the most current version of the English-language PDF of the Game Manual takes precedence. "
If a Drive Team Member uses the VIQRC Hub App as part of a post-Match discussion, the focus should be on specific counts (e.g., number of 3-color Stacks, number of Matching Goal bonuses, etc.) rather than the overall Match score, since the VIQRC Hub App scoring may not always be 100% correct due to a variety of factors (delayed version updates across different app stores, pending fixes for scoring bugs, use of an outdated version on the user's device, etc.).
2929: Are spectating members of a team allowed to provide instructions to the drive team members during a match?
Say a team has members outside of the driver station that are not part of the drive team for a particular match--they can be in the "spectator area" or some other location nearby. Maybe the team has four members and the member that is not part of the three-person drive team is in the spectator area. During the match, is this "spectating" team member allowed to shout instructions to the drive team members? This could be things like "pick up a blue pin and stack it on that orange pin" or "your stack isn't completely within the floor goal" or "you need to switch drivers now!"
Respondido por committee
Hello, Cory, and thanks for this question!
The December 4 game manual update will include an addition to rule <GG1> to specify that individuals who are not Drive Team Members for a Match cannot provide directions, commands, or advice to the Drive Team Members during that Match. They're welcome to provide cheerful, positive encouragement, but should not affect Match play or strategy. This change is effective immediately.
2838: Can drive team members sit on the floor during matches?
According to GG1, students are not allow to sit on any sort of object during a match. And GG4 stays that students must keep hands out of the field. Rule S1 says Robot operation and Team actions must be safe.
When drive team members sit or kneel on the floor at the field, I'm finding they often lean on the top of the perimeter and they are much more likely to get a block in the face. While they are not sitting on an object, they are still sitting.
My questions are:
- Are drive team members allowed to sit on the floor in the alliance station during a match?
- Are drive team members allowed to kneel on the floor in the alliance station during a match?
- Are drive team members allowed to sit or kneel on the floor to match load?
Thank you!
**Related rules: ** <GG1> b. Standing or sitting on any sort of object during a Match, regardless of whether the Field is on the floor or elevated, except as required by an official accommodation request that has been approved by the REC Foundation.
<GG4> Hands out of the Field. Drive Team Members are prohibited from making intentional contact with any Blocks, Field Elements, or Robots during a Match, apart from the contact specified in or while introducing Match Loads as described in rule .
b. Drive Team Members are not permitted to reach into the 3-dimensional volume of the Field Perimeter at any time during the Match, apart from the actions described above. Rule applies.
<S1> Be safe out there. If at any time the Robot operation or Team actions are deemed unsafe or have damaged a Field Element, Block, or the Field, the offending Team may receive a Disablement and/or Disqualification at the discretion of the Head Referee. The Robot will require re-inspection as described in rule before it may take the Field again.
Respondido por committee
There is no rule against Drive Team Members sitting on the floor or kneeling during a Match. Head Referees can and should alert Students to safety concerns, and can ask Drive Team Members to move back from the Field for safety if needed.