The Open Alliance
The home of open and collaborative robotics for FIRST® Robotics.
What is the Open Alliance?
The Open Alliance is an organization created to help FIRST® Robotics teams easily share their information and statistics to a wider audience. The Alliance is a great resource for newer teams that are looking to get started or veteran teams that are looking to expand their capabilities. Being a member of an Open Alliance team is not required to access the information of Alliance teams.
What can the Alliance do for my team?
Even if your team is not a member of the Open Alliance, you are still free to be inspired by any information that Alliance teams make available. The Alliance presents information to teams in a way that allows them to study the decisions and statistics of specific teams while also observing Alliance-wide trends throughout a season. This information can be used to compare your team's structure, process, and design to other Alliance teams. The data that the Alliance collects can be useful in many parts of the season, as it can be used by teams as they build their robots as well as at competitions to reinforce scouting data.
Open Alliance Principles
All Open Alliance teams should strive to follow these principles:
- Alliance teams do not keep secrets.
- Alliance teams do their best to provide frequent updates throughout the year.
- Alliance teams use Chief Delphi to post updates and answer questions. They are also encouraged to explore other mediums.
- Alliance teams provide open code and/or CAD.
- Alliance teams include the bad and the good.
- Alliance teams join to help all teams, not just other Open Alliance teams.
How do I join the Alliance?
You can sign your team up using the “Register/Update” button at the top of the page. When you sign up, you will be asked to provide some information about both your team structure and robot. You'll also be asked to provide links to your team's build thread, CAD, Code, and other resources. The build thread is a required component that must be created before you register. You can create one on the Chief Delphi forum, and should update it regularly. All information provided except for your contact email and shipping address are public and able to be changed at a later time.
Partners These organizations have generously funded or otherwise supported the Open Alliance to ensure that FIRST® Robotics teams around the world can keep sharing and collaborating without limits.
FUN Robotics Network
The Open Alliance is supported by the FUN Robotics Network, who host the FTC and FRC Open Alliance Shows.
On the Open Alliance show, Alliance teams show off their progress throughout the season in an engaging visual format. Instead of poring over build threads and statistics, get a quick look at what other teams are doing by watching their Open Alliance Show episodes!
FRC Open Alliance Show
FTC Open Alliance Show
Studica Robotics
Studica Robotics is a sponsor of the Open Alliance, and has been an educational robotics supplier for over 35 years. They specialize in creating an educational robotics platform for classrooms and FTC teams. Their motto, "Build Better Robots", is exemplified through their durable and well-designed structural parts, actuators, motion parts, electronics, and more. Check out what Studica has to offer on their website, and visit their Instagram for updates!
Ferra Components
Ferra Components is an FTC-oriented company with the mission to provide teams with cheap, high-quality wiring and electrical components. Their unique cable kits give teams a head-start on wiring their robots elegantly, with multiple sizes of all cables needed for the FTC control system. They also provide DIY cable kits for teams inclined to create custom-length cables. Their catalog includes all sort of signal, power, and motor cables, including XT30, JST, and Anderson Powerpole. They also have free 3D printed case files for Driver Hubs, Control/Expansion Hubs, and Servo Hubs. Check out their online store today, and take your robot wiring game to the next level.
Made with by the robotics community, for the robotics community.
Check out our code on GitHub
Contact Us: contact@theopenalliance.org
The Open Alliance is fiscally sponsored by The Hack Foundation (d.b.a. Hack Club), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN: 81-2908499).
FIRST®, FIRST® Robotics Competition, and FIRST® Tech Challenge, are registered trademarks of FIRST® (www.firstinspires.org) which is not overseeing, involved with, or responsible for this activity, product, or service.