Participation
Scroll through the slides and the FAQ below to learn more about the participating in the Farm Robotics Challenge.
Sign up for our mailing list to get updates and announcements.
We’re gearing up for our 2027 program which will launch September 15, 2026.
In the meantime you can view info from last year’s 2026 Info Session Webinar to learn more. This session provides information on that format and expectations of the competition for our university, college, and grades 7-12 teams (now called DIII).
KEY DATES & DEADLINES
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Pre-Registration Opens | August 3, 2026 |
| Team Formation & Proposal Research Period | August - October |
| Registration & Project Proposals Due | November 13, 2026 |
| Development & Testing Period | November 2026 - April 2027 |
| Final Projects Due | May 2, 2027 |
| Awards Ceremony | June, 2027 |
Frequently Asked Questions
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Secondary school aged students (grades 7-12) from the United States.
If you’re located outside of the US and are interested in participating, we have a limited number of spots available Please contact us for more info.
Teams can be comprised of students from one school, or a mix of students from different schools and youth serving institutions such as 4-H, FFA, or Grange.
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A team lead must be an adult that has credentials (background check) that allows them to lead and supervise youth activities.
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It ranges, many online workshops are free of charge. In person events or workshops may have fees associated with them. A registration fee is required for the Farm Robotics Challenge, view website for latest info.
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Generally it is up to each participating team to procure equipment for their projects.
We do have limited access to a participation and equipment grant opportunity that has been funded by the CA Jobs First Initiative. Visit this page to learn more:
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You can view information on the Amiga robot via Bonsai Robotics.
You can also reach out to:
Linda McNair, VP of Marketing
linda.mcnair@bonsairobotics.com
You can also access technical information for the Amiga robot on our resources page.
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The competition follows the academic calendar year. Team formation and problem identification begin in the fall. During winter and spring, teams work on development, field testing and compile their final reports for submission towards the beginning of May. Exact dates listed above.
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We will host monthly webinars for the cohort of participating teams. During these webinars we will address topics relevant to the project stage.
The first webinars will feature info on problem identification and technology selection. As we progress throughout the year we’ll also bring on guest speakers to talk about career paths in ag tech. We will also thoroughly review project deliverables to clearly outline our expectations for the project submissions.
Don’t worry if you can’t attend the webinars live, all sessions will be recorded and posted to our YouTube Channel for on-demand viewing.
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Teams compete for prizes and special recognition via the Farm Robotics Challenge. View our Prizes page for the latest updates.
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Yes, but up to a maximum of 2 teams per institution, so long as each team is working on a unique problem.
Choose the top projects that best represent your school or club.
Technology can also be shared across multiple teams.
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