Comet Clash 2026

Comet Robotics at UT Dallas is proud to present the second ever Comet Clash. A combat robotics event hosted at UT Dallas.

 

Location: Indoors at the ECSW building atrium (2520 Rutford Ave, Richardson, TX 75080). 

 

Schedule: Competitors can begin arriving and do safety at 7:15 AM. Matches planned to start at 9:00 AM after the builders meeting. Please be on-site by 8:30 AM so we can get all robots through safety on time. We plan to finish at 7:00 PM, but the building won't close until 10:00 PM, so we will go until we finish. 

• 07:10 - Doors open, check-in and safety starts
• 08:30 - Check-in closes, you MUST be in the building by now if you plan on competing
• 08:50 - Driver's meeting, brackets will be finalized at this point
• 09:00 - Fights begin with round 1
• 11:00 - Break for lunch between round 1 and round 2
• 12:00 - Round 2 fights begin, all classes
• 14:30 - Round 3 fights begin, all classes
• 17:00 - Finals bracket start
• 19:00 - Estimated finish

 

Facilities: 

• We are providing all tables and chairs
• Pits are on the second floor birds nest.
• Bathrooms, elevators are onsite.
• Electrical outlets may be limited, so it is recommended to bring your own power strips and extension cords. 
• LIPO batteries can be charged at your pit, but chargers must be plugged straight into an outlet, not an extension cord. LIPO batteries should be in a LIPO bag during charging.
• Soldering may happen in a designated room close to the atrium on the first floor. (TBD)

 

Arena:  The arena is 8 ft x 8 ft x 4 ft tall with a wooden floor.  There is a seam in the middle of the floor, but we do our best to minimize it.

 

Robots: Robots must meet the SPARC V1.6 Robot Construction Specifications. In addition, no fire weapons or ICE (Internal Combustion Engines). Weapon locks and sharp edge covers must be used while the bot is outside of the arena. Maximum weight bonus for beetles is 150% or 4.5lbs. Approved materials for Plants are 3D printed ASA, PET, PETG, ABS, PLA, and PLA+. This means that sheet ABS or cnc machined parts are not legal. TPU and other flexible filament parts are illegal anywhere. If you have questions about a specific material’s legality then please contact the EO.

 

Weight Classes: 24 Plant (1lb plastic), 20 Ant (1lb), and 20 Beetle (3lb).

 

Format: 

• Swiss qualifier bracket: 3 Rounds (bots fight bots with similar win record) for round 3, only bots with a 1-1 record will fight each other as a 'last chance' round to make it into the elimination bracket
• Single elimination finals bracket: Top 10 bots (12 for plants) will enter a single elimination finals bracket
• 2 minute matches
• Damage and engagement (4-5) judging criteria

 

Registration: Registration for the tournament is $20 per plant or ant ($10 for Plants with valid school ID), $30 for beetles, and will be handled at the event. We take card, Paypal, CashApp, or cash. We will be limiting teams/colleges/schools to registering 4 robots per weight class when registration opens. Any additional bot will be moved to the wait-list. If spots become available closer to the day of the event, those bots can fill in. Additionally, each driver can only operate 1 bot per weight class max.

 

Prizes: Trophies for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers in each weight class. Various prizes from our sponsors will also be provided.

 

Parking: Parking is provided for everyone. We will have passes for competitors and volunteers.

 

Join our Discord for more updates!

Discord: https://discord.gg/QjEgWSvuQV

Email: cometrobotics@utdallas.edu

Volunteer: https://forms.gle/gjj8Sbr8J9DgzW7J8

 

Minor partcipants disclaimer: Comet Robotics at UT Dallas, a registered student organization at The University of Texas at Dallas, will not take custodial responsibility of minors while participating in Comet Clash 2026. Custodial responsibility will remain with teachers K-12, parents, legal guardians, and chaperones.