General Info
General Info
THE COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN.
READY FOR TAKEOFF?
WELCOME TO THE CLASH AT CRADLE!
WHERE AVIATION HISTORY MEETS THE FUTURE OF ROBOTICS!
Get ready for an unforgettable robotics experience as competitors take flight at the iconic Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, New York!
Located in the heart of Long Island, a region known for its extraordinary contributions to aviation and aerospace innovation, the Cradle of Aviation Museum provides a spectacular setting where history, engineering, and the next generation of innovators come together.
Surrounded by historic aircraft, aerospace exhibits, and the legacy of aviation pioneers, talented middle school and high school robotics teams will gather to compete, collaborate, and push the boundaries of engineering excellence.
THE ROBOTS ARE FUELED. LET THE CLASH BEGIN!
Clash at Cradle is more than just a robotics tournament. It is a celebration of innovation, teamwork, creativity, and the spirit of exploration.
Throughout the event, teams will experience:
- High-Energy Competition: Watch talented VEX V5 teams battle through qualification matches, alliance selection, and thrilling elimination rounds.
- An Iconic Venue: Compete inside a museum dedicated to the remarkable achievements of aviation and space exploration.
- Engineering Excellence: Showcase innovative robot designs, programming skills, strategic thinking, and engineering notebooks.
- A Blended Competition: Bring together middle school and high school teams, encouraging mentorship, collaboration, and friendly competition.
- An Unforgettable STEM Experience: Connect the engineering challenges of robotics with the innovations that made human flight and space exploration possible.
From the Pioneers of Flight to the Innovators of Tomorrow
The Cradle of Aviation Museum honors the engineers, inventors, and visionaries who transformed the impossible into reality.
Now it's your turn.
Just as aviation pioneers challenged the limits of flight, today's robotics teams are challenging the limits of technology through imagination, determination, and engineering.
Who will rise above the competition? Who will earn their wings? Who will be crowned the Champions of the Cradle?
Prepare for Takeoff!
Whether you are a first-time competitor or a seasoned robotics veteran, Clash at Cradle promises an exciting experience filled with competition, discovery, and unforgettable memories.Bring your best robot. Bring your strongest strategy. Bring your team's passion for innovation.
The inaugural Clash at Cradle Spotlight Event in New York will be held on February 12-13, 2027. This will be a blended (HS/MS) competition for the VEX V5 program.
Teams may visit the main Museum at no additional charge. The Museum will be open to spectators for the duration of the event.
- Venue
- Cradle of Aviation Museum
- Address
- Charles Lindbergh Boulevard, Garden City, New York 11530, United States
- Dates
- February 12 – 13, 2027
- Grade Level
- All
- Skills Challenge
- Yes
- Judging Format
- All Remote Judging
Registration & Logistics
- Event Type
- Open Tournament
- Event Format
- In-Person
- Field Control
- Smart Field Control
- Capacity
- 48
- Spots Open
- 39
- Event Region
- New York-South
- Max Registrations per Org
- 5
- Priority Registration Opens
- 12-Nov-2026 12:00 EST
- Standard Registration Opens
- 18-Dec-2026 12:00 EST
- Registration Deadline
- 22-Jan-2027 12:00 EST
- Payment Deadline
- January 28, 2027
- Price
- $315.00
Agenda
February 12, 2027 (Optional)
- 5:00pm - Doors Open
- 5:30pm - Robot Inspection Opens
- 6:30pm - Skills Opens
- 8:00pm - Roll Out
February 13, 2027
- 7:30am - Doors Open and Robot Inspections Open
- 8:30am - Inspection closes
- 8:45am - Drivers meeting
- 9:00am - Qualifications matches begin
- 12:00pm - Lunch
- 12:45pm - Qualification matches resume
- 4:00pm - Alliance Selection
- 4:30pm - Elimination Matches
- 6:00pm - Awards Ceremony
Stream
Webcast The event will be livestreamed.
Travel Info
Date: 12-Feb-2027 - 13-Feb-2027 Cradle of Aviation Museum Charles Lindbergh Boulevard Garden City, New York 11530 United States Travel Info Free parking anywhere in the museum lot. Enter from the main entrance.
Judging Format
Judging Format Please review the following Judging Format options and keep the ones that apply to your event, and delete the others that do not apply. • All Remote Judging - The Initial Team Interviews will be conducted remotely, and Engineering Notebooks will be submitted to judges digitally via a link found within the "My Account" panel of the team contact. • Initial Interviews will run from January 27 - Feb 10. • Digital Engineering Notebooks will be due January 25th at 11:59pm
Volunteer
Volunteer A volunteer sign up form shall be shared 4-6 weeks prior to the event.
Emergency/Bad-Weather Policy
Emergency/Bad Weather Policy In the event of bad weather, the competition may be delayed or run later in the day. Changes will be communicated to teams via email or in-person during the course of the event.