What is SkillsUSA USAR?

SkillsUSA is the #1 workforce development organization for students. Through SkillsUSA, we empower students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders and responsible community members.

Robotics - Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) is a nationwide competition in SkillsUSA requiring competitors to build and drive a robot that can navigate a simulated urban environment and serve as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) robot, going through tunnels, up ramps, and over rough terrain to find simulated explosive ordnances (plastic cubes) in mailboxes, retrieve them, and carry them to a containment location.

Here is a synopsis from the contest technical specifications:

"A two-member team builds its robot and arm mechanism prior to the competition and then, during the competition, there will be two (2) separate but related challenges. The first will be a demonstration of proficiency in five (5) specific skill trials. The second is a simulated urban search and rescue mission to traverse a course and locate, secure, and properly dispose of ordnances. Both challenges will require teams to demonstrate proficiencies, such as remotely operating the robot via camera, navigation, manipulating the arm mechanism to collect simulated ordnances, traversing various types of terrain, and communication between driver and spotter. Each team will perform one round of the five (5) skill trials and one round of the simulated mission to locate and dispose of two ordnances. In both challenges, teams will be under time constraints to complete the objective."

The contestants also submit an engineering notebook documenting their design & build process, as well as giving a 5 minute technical presentation before judges. The competition is mostly the same from year to year, so we'll be able to continually refine our robots for future years.

At the state level, our mentors Nathan Morris and Patrick Manson have helped run the event and are going to be the Technical Chairmen for next year. Our goal is to make the competition more like the Nationals event (pictures below) and to promote the competition across the state to get more teams to join.

Congratulations Mahlon & Varuna for being the 2025 SkillsUSA USAR Middle School National Silver Medalists!