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This is the current news items about Downingtown Robotics, all the teams: FRC and FTC.

Remember to read about Current Events coming your way.

Congratulations to our Graduates

  • Akhila Y - Co-Captain & Chairmans
  • Cameron M - Co-Captain & Driver
  • Sai M - Chairmans
  • Braden D - Pit Captain & Mechanical
  • Bhavana P - Human Player & Mechanical
  • Charlie K - Mechanical

Alumni Graduations

  • Andrew Weissman graduated from Penn State with a degree in Engineering
  • Marina San Miguel graduates from Penn State
  • Malia Ashmead graduates from University of Florida
  • Mentor Andy Park receives a Masters Degree from Penn State

Graduating Sab-BOT-age students commit to colleges

  • Akhila commits to Harvard University
  • Sai will be attending the University of Pennsylvania
  • Bhavana has committed to the University of Delaware

FRC Championship - 24-27 April-2019

Sab-BOT-age (FRC 1640) finished qualification matches ranked 9th out of 68 teams on Archimedes and ended up as 8th Alliance Captain. Our gratitude and sincere thanks to FRC 271 (Mechanical Marauders), FRC 3015 (Ranger Robotics) and FRC 4391 (Gladstone BraveBots) for joining us in Eliminations. We had a good run, defeating the 1st Alliance 2-1 in Quarterfinals. Alas, the 5th Alliance was simply too good for us to beat in Semifinals - Archimedes 5th Alliance (teams 5406, 930, 1310 & 4004) went on to become Archimedes Champion and FRC Championship Finalist!

Congratulations Akhila - Harvard College bound!

Akhila is Co-Captain of FRC 1640 and an FTC 7314 alumna.

Chairman's Award recipient at FIRST Mid-Atlantic Championship - 4-6 April-2019

Winning Chairmans'!
Governor Wolf of graciously visited the Championship, watching a match, driving TechFire's robot, and visiting the pits. The visit was very appreciated.

We ended qualification matches in 28th place (of 60) with a 6-5-1 record. We were the 1st pick of FRC 365 (Miracle Workerz), the 6th Alliance Captain. FRC 2729 (Storm) completed this Alliance. while we won the 1st quarterfinal match, we lost the next two.

Sab-BOT-age received the Chairman's Award. This automatically qualifies the team the for FRC Championship in Detroit.

At the close of the FIRST Mid-Atlantic competition season, 1640 is ranked #7 in MAR with 227 ranking points.

Industrial Design Award recipient at FMA District Bensalem Event - 29-31 March-2019

Team Sab-BOT-age (1640) participated in a 3rd FIRST Mid-Atlantic qualifying event at Bensalem. This is a new event at Bensalem High School.

As our 3rd District Event, Bensalem does not affect the team's ranking or prospects of advancing to the FRC Championship. We'd already qualified for the FIRST Mid-Atlantic Championship. This event was primarily intended to provide additional practice for all and an opportunity to improve our control software.

We ended qualifications ranked 6th in a field of 31 teams. That's okay, but we failed to move in one match and experience problems in others.

1640 had the good fortune of being invited to join the 1st Alliance by 2607 (The Fighting Robovikings). FRC 219 (Team Impact) completed the alliance. Unfortunately, and despite an awesome double HAB Level 3 climb in Quarterfinals 2, our alliance was eliminated in Quarterfinals.

Sab-BOT-age received the Excellence in Engineering Award.

CHAMPIONS at FMA District Seneca Event - 22-24 March-2019

Our HAB Lift was working and we performed better overall, finishing qualifications ranked 7th of 35 with an (8-4-0) record. We gratefully accepted the 2nd Alliance Captain's (834 -SparTech) invitation. 6327 (The Tin Soldiers) completed the 2nd Alliance, which while barely squeaking through Quarterfinals by the very barest of margins, went on to win the event!.

1640 earned 62 District points at Seneca.

CHAMPIONS and District Chairman's Award winner at FMA District Westtown Event - 8-10 March-2019

DB15 Westtown 190310-38.jpg
FRC 1640 co-hosts this event, together with FRC 1391, The Metal Moose.

We had a slow start and our HAB Climb was not working. Finished qualifications in 27th place (of 32) with a (5-7-0) record. Pretty dismal. Despite this, we performed well in later matches and were the first pick of 2nd Alliance Captain 4342 (Demon Robotics). Together with 2191 (Flux Core), the 2nd Alliance won the event! 1640 also received the District Chairman's Award.

1640 earned 63 District points at Westtown. The District Chairman's Award also automatically qualified Sab-BOT-age for FMA Championships.

Westtown FLL RQT - 8-December-2018

Downingtown Area Robotics had the opportunity to help out our friends and neighbors the Metal Moose with their Westtown RQT. Thanks to the DAR volunteers who stepped up and volunteered for this event!

Presentation to the Manufacturing Alliance of Chester & Delaware Counties - 4-December-2018

Clem McKown made an invited presentation of Downingtown Area Robotics and Team 1640 to the board of the Manufacturing Alliance.

Downingtown FLL RQT - 1-December-2018

The Downingtown Area Robotics Regional Qualifying Tournament was held at the CCIU's Technical College High School Brandywine Campus on Saturday, 1-December. This was our 7th Downingtown RQT. (25) teams participated; six advance to the PennFLL Championships.

D-Town Dustoff - 10-November-2018

The D-Town Dustoff FIRST LEGO League scrimmage was held at the CCIU's Technical College High School Brandywine Campus, 443 Boot Road, Downingtown on Saturday, 10-November.  This was out 7th Dustoff. As always, the Dustoff was run like a Qualifying Tournament to provide teams with a useful practice session prior to their qualifying tournament. Sixteen (16) local FLL teams participated.

Alliance Captain at Ramp Riot - 3-November-2018

This was a good event for Sab-BOT-age. The team finished qualification matches ranked 7th in a field of 36 teams 3-2-0. Since there is no in-picking at Ramp Riot, we were the 7th alliance captain, inviting teams 4362 (Roxbotix), 2016 (Mighty Monkey Wrenches) and 432 (Simple Machines) to join our alliance. We made it through the quarterfinals (against 2nd alliance 708, 316, 103 & 5404) 2-0-0, but were eliminated in semifinals by the 6th alliance (1712, 834, 1403 & (2)607) 1-2-0, who finished the event as winners.

Alliance Captain at Duel on the Delaware - 20-October-2018

The team did well, winning all five qualification matches. Unfortunately, we received 3 RPs for only two of these and as a result finished as 4th seed. We made an alliance with 4342 (Demon Robotics) and 321 (Robolancers), but we didn't get past quarterfinals.

Vinny served for the first time as Lead Scout. He did a great job!

Ella and Sai alternated as Operator. Ella for the first time (Sai was at HAVOC).

Daniel was Drive Coach.

Bhavanah served as Human Player.

Kids Tech Exploration Day - October 13, 2018

We were very happy to participate in Turn5's Kids Tech Exploration Day with all four FIRST programs. This Tech Outreach event was very well organized and packed with young families. Special thanks to Turn5 for organizing and hosting this outstanding event! At Turn5, 600 Cedar Hollow Road, Paoli.

CHAMPIONS at HAVOC - 6-October-2018

We won! 1st seed 2590 Nemesis picked us. Good start in building a strong alliance. Our 2nd pick, the last robot left to pick (607 & 1717 were removed from selection, to allow all teams to be picked), bizarrely declined our invitation! Really? Does this ever happen? Honestly, if they were planning to decline, they should have let the organizers know so that one of the eliminated robots could have taken their place in the normal order of picking. So we ended up with 607 as our 3rd robot. Wow. This bizarre turn of events left us with a super alliance.

With 20 students graduating from 1640 at the end of the last season, our crew was new. On our drive team, only our driver, Cameron, was a veteran. The rest of the drive team was:

  • Drive team mentor: Eric Weissman
  • Coach: Daniel
  • Operator: Sai & Aerin (alternating)
  • Human Player: Joey & Bhavana (alternating)
  • Technician: Nathan


Braden served for the 1st time as pit captain. The balance of the pit crew comprised:

  • Nathan
  • Sai
  • Bhavana

The drive team and pit functioned very well, both pulling together as effective teams. Cameron stepped up to serve as the glue and voice of experience on the drive team.

Laura receives NCWIT Aspirations Award

Congratulations to FRC 1640 alumna and outgoing team Co-Captain Laura, who received the National Center for Women in Technology (NCWIT) Aspirations Award! Great job, Laura!

DAR Inaugurates its FLL Jr Program - 13-September-2018

Moon Buggies
Downingtown Area Robotics has launched its first FLL Jr teams: 16179 (Moon Buggies) & 16312 (Mission Moon Explorers)!

DAR launches a 3rd FIRST Tech Challenge team - 1-September-2018

In response to overwhelming demand, Downingtown Area Robotics is launching its 3rd FTC team, 14842 (SpyGears). Our sincerest thanks to Sathya Yalvigi, Gyani Mamidala, Stephen Suchower, Andrew Goddard and Daniel for stepping up to mentor this rookie team.

FIRST LEGO League Coach Training - 25-August-2018

Downingtown Area Robotics Open House - 11 & 12 August-2018

DAR Picnic - 1-August-2018

Indiana Robotics Invitational - 12-14 July 2018

Our 9th consecutive year of participating at IRI. We finished as quarterfinalists.

Downingtown Area Robotics (home of Team Sab-BOT-age) moves, reorganizes, grows

For the past five years, the Chester County Intermediate Unit’s (CCIU’s) Technical College High School (TCHS) has very generously supported Downingtown Area Robotics’ (DAR’s) educational program by providing us with a home in which the team and the program has been able to thrive and grow. But nothing lasts forever and important new construction at the TCHS means that DAR will be moving to a new base. Effective July 1st, DAR will operate out of 190 Exton Square Mall.

DAR is using this move as an opportunity to expand its program to serve younger students. When formed in 2011, DAR was an organization supporting FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC) team 1640 serving area high school students. Our move to the TCHS in 2013 allowed the foundation of DAR’s FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC) team 7314, thereby broadening our service to include 7th and 8th grade students. Now, with the move to Exton Mall, six FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL) Teams will join the DAR organization. As a result, DAR will offer FIRST robotics programs for area students from 4th through 12th grades. DAR is also starting a 2nd FTC team.

Larry Dodds has graciously stepped up to the role of Head Mentor for FRC team 1640 (Sab-BOT-age). This is a role that Larry has effectively been filling through the 2018 season. FRC 1640 is DAR’s flagship.

Scott Featherman will continue to lead the FLL program.

George Abersold will serve as Head Mentor for FTC 7314; Scott Mengle will lead the new FTC team.

While DAR is leaving the TCHS, our partnership with the CCIU and TCHS remains important and strong. We continue to cooperate in hosting educational robotics events including the D-Town Dust-off FLL scrimmage, the Downingtown FLL Qualifying Tournament and a TechGirlz workshop.

DAR is not school-affiliated and its robotics programs are open to all area students. DAR is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable organization.

FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology. FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs that motivate young people to become leaders and innovators, and enhance their work-life skills.

Clem McKown - President, Downingtown Area Robotics


Older news items can be found in:
News Archive 2018
News Archive 2017
News Archive 2016
News Archive 2015
News Archive 2014
News Archive 2013
News Archive 2012
News Archive 2011
News Archive 2010
News Archive 2009