Cage Load-In and Load-Out

Loading bots in and out of our cages is one of the most likely opportunities for injuries at our events. Without strict safety protocols, it’s possible someone might be seriously hurt.

So, we follow this protocol when loading and unloading bots, and during fight pauses. The idea is to spend as little time as possible next to a combat robot that is powered on.

Cage load-in

• From the Green Room, a staff member will direct you to the proper cage.
  • You’ll have your bot and remote with you. Both will be powered off.
  • If you’re fighting in Cage 5, a staff member will escort you to the cage.
• If there’s a fight already in progress, you'll wait in the back of the production area until a staff member leads you to the cage.
• Once at the cage, you’ll primarily interact with two staff members: a cage manager, and a referee.
• The cage manager will ask you for the name of your bot.
• The cage manager will enter bot names into the cage computer, and will verify with you that your bot name is correct.
• The cage manager will open the cage door.
• You and your opponent will place your bots inside the cage.
  • There are a couple of small, long screens in the cage, each with a bot name. You’ll place your bot closest to your corner and the screen with your bot’s name.
• You'll place your remote down in the cage, next to your bot.
• The cage manager will instruct you and your opponent to power on your remotes and bots.
  • If you have a multibot, you'll power on your most dangerous bot last.
• Once all bots and remotes are on, the cage manager will instruct you and your opponent to remove all weapon locks, and then step backwards, holding your remotes.
• The cage manager will close and lock the cage doors, and then step backwards.
• Once the cage manager has stepped backwards, you'll drive to your corner.
• When you’ve gotten your bot to its corner, you may turn on your weapon to test it.
• This is a good time for you to check the button panel and to make sure the “TAP OUT” indicator above the tap-out button is not red. If it is, ask the cage manager to reset it.
• The referee will ask you and your opponent to hit your READY button once you’re ready to fight.
  • Once both competitors have hit their READY buttons, the referee will tell our control room that the fight is ready. This is an important step, as the control room initiates all fights.
• You and your opponent will wait for the fight to start. You may have to wait up to three minutes for the previous fight to end. The referee will alert you with hand gestures before the countdown begins.

Fight pauses

The referee may pause the fight on certain occasions; for example, if both bots are stuck together. During a fight pause, please follow instructions from the referee and cage manager.

Cage load-out

• When the fight is over, the referee will ask you and your opponent to drive to the cage door if possible.
  • If your bot’s drive is disabled, the house bot will push it to the door.
  • If there is a fire in the box, we will not unload the cage immediately. Instead, the referee or cage manager will ask you to temporarily put your remotes into the shelf by the cage, or down on the floor.
• The referee will ask you and your opponent to stand by the cage manager at the cage door.
• The cage manager will unlock and open the door. They may ask you or your opponent to unload first, or they may ask you to unload simultaneously, depending on the situation.
• You'll insert your weapon lock and power off your bot.
  • If you have a multibot, turn off your most dangerous bot first.
• If there are critical parts of your bot still elsewhere in the cage, you may ask the cage manager to retrieve them now.
• You'll return to the pits through the exit on your right, on the side of the production area opposite the green room.
  • If you were fighting in Cage 5, a staff member will escort you back to the pits.