Fighting Robot Association

The Fighting Robot Association (FRA) is the governing body of Robot Combat in the UK and Europe. It provides the rules and guidelines for roboteers and event organisers to follow.

The FRA was established in 2003, toward the end of Robot Wars' run on TV. A group of roboteers set up the FRA as a non profit making organisation, in order to provide an online means of holding the community together. In this respect, the FRA has been very successful, as there is now a loyal online community on the FRA's online forum[(http://www.fightingrobots.co.uk/forum)].

The FRA has provided a set of rules that cover three official weight classes - Featherweights, Middleweights and Heavyweights[(http://www.fightingrobots.co.uk/documents/Build_Rules_2011.pdf)]. Currently, only Antweights use a different set of rules out of the official classes[(http://www.robotwars101.org/ants/rules.htm)].

The FRA has also produced rules on safety that all FRA live events follow[(http://www.fightingrobots.co.uk/safety.php)]. Both sets of rules are regularly updated, to cover the ever changing world of robotic combat.

• Promotion and education of all things to do with robots, of all weights, shapes and sizes.
• To provide consistency with regard to open event safety, arenas and robot build rules.
• To centralise communications, in effect be a library of contacts and to promote the sport.
• To encourage the set up of regional meeting clubs, that are either part of the FRA or affiliated to the FRA.
• To endeavour to work with other countries associations for the betterment of our sport.
• To represent roboteer interests in negotiations with other bodies.
• To generally make the roboteers lot a better one.

The FRA is run by a governing body[(http://www.fightingrobots.co.uk/documents/constitution.pdf)], who are elected into their positions each year. The FRA is overseen by a President and Chairman. Each regional area of England has its own representative on the governing body. Currently, Middleweights and Featherweights also have their own representative.

There are also technical advisers. These are experts at a particular area of Robot Combat, and have been selected by the FRA to give advice on their subject when fellow roboteers request it.

There are currently technical advisers in:

• Electronics and Radio Control - Paul Hunt
• Pneumatics - Mike Lambert
• Hydraulics - Andy Kane

The FRA has a website at http://www.fightingrobots.co.uk where you can view the current FRA rules[(http://www.fightingrobots.co.uk/rules.php)], post in their forum and browse the minutes of the FRA Annual General Meetings (AGMs)[(http://www.fightingrobots.co.uk/meetings.php)].

It also has an online discussion forum, which is very popular with fans and roboteers: http://www.fightingrobots.co.uk/forum/