General Info
General Info
We are excited to present the 2026–2027 Innovate with Robotics @ UCI, our VEX V5 Robotics Competition designed to inspire engineering, teamwork, and innovation!
Building on the success of Fun with Robotics @ UCI, we’re taking things to the next level with our first VRC tournament at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). With more advanced robots, deeper engineering challenges, and higher-level strategy, this event is built for students ready to level up their passion for robotics.
Our goal remains the same: to give every participant an enjoyable and memorable experience, where students can keep exploring, experimenting, and having fun while growing as engineers and innovators in a supportive environment.
To make the day even better, we’ve designed the schedule so teams can arrive refreshed and ready to compete. Plus, don’t miss our parent component during the awards ceremony, where families can join in the excitement and celebration!
Stay tuned for registration details, the event agenda, and team guidelines.
Let’s make this season the best one yet: design, build, and innovate!
Location:
UC Irvine Division of Continuing Education, Building CE1 (Bldg. 8 on campus map)
510 E Peltason Dr, Irvine, CA 92697
Parking: Anteater Parking Structure
- Venue
- 510 E Peltason Dr
- Address
- 510 E Peltason Drive, Irvine, California 92617, United States
- Dates
- February 7, 2027
- Grade Level
- All
- Skills Challenge
- Yes
- Judging Format
- Digital Engineering Notebook Submissions / In-Person Team Interviews
Registration & Logistics
- Event Type
- Open Tournament
- Event Format
- In-Person
- Field Control
- Smart Field Control
- Capacity
- 42
- Spots Open
- 18
- Event Region
- California - Region 4
- Max Registrations per Org
- 6
- Standard Registration Opens
- 6-Nov-2026 12:00 EST
- Registration Deadline
- 23-Jan-2027 12:00 EST
- Payment Deadline
- 01/23/2027
- Price
- $200.00
Agenda
7:00 - 7:30 Volunteers check-in, Training and set up
8:00 Venue Opens, Team Check-In and Robot Inspection
10:30 Opening Ceremony and Drivers Meeting
10:45 Qualification Matches and Skills
12:00 -1:00 Lunch Break
1:00 - 3:00 Qualification Matches (Skills ends at 3:00pm)
4:00 - 5:00 Finals
5:00 - 5:30 Awards and Closing Ceremony!
5:30 - 6:00 Clean-up and Venue Closes
Judging Format
Judging Format Digital engineering notebook submissions & in person team interviews Notebooks will be due on Wednesday, February 3rd, at 5pm PST . We want an early start to notebooks to ensure we get all teams' notebooks, but you're welcome to continue working on them after submitting! Team interviews will be conducted in person at the event. Engineering notebooks will be submitted digitally for evaluation via a link found within the "My Account" panel of the team contact on events.vex.com.
Volunteer
Volunteer We welcome volunteers of all skill levels to join us! Whether you’re completely new or highly experienced, your support helps make our events possible. Training will be provided for all roles, and we’re happy to match you with a position that fits your interests and comfort level. If you’re interested in volunteering, please email us at admin@ocaicenter.org . We’d love to have you be part of our event community.
Emergency/Bad-Weather Policy
Emergency/Bad Weather Policy Only in extreme circumstances will this event be canceled due to weather or safety precautions issued by UCI. In this circumstance, refunds will be made available.