About Us
Team 23975, Pigeon Bots, is a First Tech Challenge team based in Rockville Maryland. Formed in the summer of 2020, our members are all ages from 13 to 16. Our mission is to promote STEM throughout the local and wider community.
Email us at pigeonbotsftc@gmail.com!
Check us out on YouTube!
Email us at pigeonbotsftc@gmail.com!
Check us out on YouTube!
Current Sponsors
Outreach
2025 - 2026
Thomas Jefferson High School Techstravaganza
We participated in TJ High School's Techstravaganza event as a presenter. We let elementary/middle school children drive our robot as well as talked about the goals FIRST robotics and our team.
We participated in TJ High School's Techstravaganza event as a presenter. We let elementary/middle school children drive our robot as well as talked about the goals FIRST robotics and our team.
2024 - 2025
STEM Summer Camp
We continued hosting the STEM Summer Camp from last year. Students developed engineering skills, learning to CAD, build, and program robots. Students also advanced their presentation and teamwork abilities.
We continued hosting the STEM Summer Camp from last year. Students developed engineering skills, learning to CAD, build, and program robots. Students also advanced their presentation and teamwork abilities.
Community Recreation Center Class
We introduced students to the First Lego League (FLL), teaching interactive lessons where students learned how to build and program FLL robots.
We introduced students to the First Lego League (FLL), teaching interactive lessons where students learned how to build and program FLL robots.
Beginner LEGO Robotics Class
Hosted at a local library, we taught students ages 9-12 an introduction to robotics and the First Lego League (FLL). Class topics ranged from robotic attatchments and types of sensors to the missions in FLL.
Hosted at a local library, we taught students ages 9-12 an introduction to robotics and the First Lego League (FLL). Class topics ranged from robotic attatchments and types of sensors to the missions in FLL.
2023 - 2024
FTC Beginner Workshops
Jesse, Alex, and Christopher recorded and uploaded youtube videos to help beginners kickstart their robotics journey and inspire people to join FTC. In these videos, viewers learned the basics of FTC, CAD, and Scouting using tools such as Google Sheets and Onshape.
Our first beginner workshop, Intro to FTC, was live streamed on youtube. This allowed us to interact with over 100 viewers and and answer several questions from the chat.
Jesse, Alex, and Christopher recorded and uploaded youtube videos to help beginners kickstart their robotics journey and inspire people to join FTC. In these videos, viewers learned the basics of FTC, CAD, and Scouting using tools such as Google Sheets and Onshape.
Our first beginner workshop, Intro to FTC, was live streamed on youtube. This allowed us to interact with over 100 viewers and and answer several questions from the chat.
Montgomery College Science Fair
We shared our robot with families and interested them in FTC, interacting with local STEM community and learned about pendulums, optical illusions, and paper airplanes.
We shared our robot with families and interested them in FTC, interacting with local STEM community and learned about pendulums, optical illusions, and paper airplanes.
STEM Summer Camp
Younger students learned lifelong STEM skills including programming, CAD, building, and presentation skills. Students Aliana and Alicia were inspired to join our team and ended up doing so.
Younger students learned lifelong STEM skills including programming, CAD, building, and presentation skills. Students Aliana and Alicia were inspired to join our team and ended up doing so.
Elementary School Demonstration
Our team partnered with FIRST to go to a local elementary school. We demonstrated our outreach robot and talked about FTC with the kids and their parents. Jesse also gave a short speech about FIRST’s core values and the impact FIRST programs has had on him. Two children were inspired to join FLL, one was inspired to join FTC.
Our team partnered with FIRST to go to a local elementary school. We demonstrated our outreach robot and talked about FTC with the kids and their parents. Jesse also gave a short speech about FIRST’s core values and the impact FIRST programs has had on him. Two children were inspired to join FLL, one was inspired to join FTC.
NOVA STEM Day
We presented our outreach robot to the community and introduced them to FTC, explaining the mechanisms used in our robot to curious children and allowing them to test drive it.
We presented our outreach robot to the community and introduced them to FTC, explaining the mechanisms used in our robot to curious children and allowing them to test drive it.
Veritas Academy Robotics Class
We connected with international students from South Korea and China and students from three US states, teaching them valuable lifelong STEM skills such as CAD, programming, and building.
We connected with international students from South Korea and China and students from three US states, teaching them valuable lifelong STEM skills such as CAD, programming, and building.
2022 - 2023
Hosting the First Lego League Festival
In early January, our team was given the unique opportunity to host the official FIRST Lego League Explore Festival, along with the Rockville Science Center. Throughout the event, we were able to inform many students and parents about FTC and explained how our robot worked.
In early January, our team was given the unique opportunity to host the official FIRST Lego League Explore Festival, along with the Rockville Science Center. Throughout the event, we were able to inform many students and parents about FTC and explained how our robot worked.
Scrimmages
Our team participated in many scrimmages with other teams throughout the season. We had a lot of fun interacting with other teams and learned a lot from their robots.
In addition, we were also able to host our own scrimmage, inviting teams such as Orca Robotics and Thunderstone.
Our team participated in many scrimmages with other teams throughout the season. We had a lot of fun interacting with other teams and learned a lot from their robots.
In addition, we were also able to host our own scrimmage, inviting teams such as Orca Robotics and Thunderstone.
Preseason
After our 2021-2022 season ended for us, we moved our focus to outreach and making an impact in our community.
During the summer of 2022, we reached out to the community and taught at a robotics summer camp which lasted many weeks. Our goal was to promote STEM and robotics within our local community and inspire people who didn’t have any experience in STEM.
Our team also was able to introduce FIRST, but particularly FTC, to students at Veritas Collegiate Academy. While there, we guided them through building and programming basic FTC robots.
After our 2021-2022 season ended for us, we moved our focus to outreach and making an impact in our community.
During the summer of 2022, we reached out to the community and taught at a robotics summer camp which lasted many weeks. Our goal was to promote STEM and robotics within our local community and inspire people who didn’t have any experience in STEM.
Our team also was able to introduce FIRST, but particularly FTC, to students at Veritas Collegiate Academy. While there, we guided them through building and programming basic FTC robots.
2021 - 2022
Meeting with Other Teams
At the start of the season, we were able to reach out to team 12518, Almond Robotics, in which we discussed design ideas and other helpful tips. Our team also participated with them in several scrimmages over the season.
We also met with Robo Troopers after qualifying for states online, in which they gave many different pieces of advice on our robot.
At the start of the season, we were able to reach out to team 12518, Almond Robotics, in which we discussed design ideas and other helpful tips. Our team also participated with them in several scrimmages over the season.
We also met with Robo Troopers after qualifying for states online, in which they gave many different pieces of advice on our robot.
Mentoring FLL
Over the season, our team was able to mentor three FLL teams, Quaker Tech, Phoenix, and Dragons. We helped to guide them through the programming, building, and core values over the season.
Over the season, our team was able to mentor three FLL teams, Quaker Tech, Phoenix, and Dragons. We helped to guide them through the programming, building, and core values over the season.
Recruiting New Members
In addition to that, we were also able to recruit many more students from the area and helped introduce them to the basic STEM, programming, and structure of our team, and FTC.
In addition to that, we were also able to recruit many more students from the area and helped introduce them to the basic STEM, programming, and structure of our team, and FTC.
Post Season
After the season ended, we were able to participate in a science fair hosted by the Rockville Science Center. We were able to introduce FTC and STEM to the community.
We were also able to meet with NASA Scientist Dr. Dominguez, who specialized in optics. She was able to help us with the lighting issues we experienced at the state competition.
After the season ended, we were able to participate in a science fair hosted by the Rockville Science Center. We were able to introduce FTC and STEM to the community.
We were also able to meet with NASA Scientist Dr. Dominguez, who specialized in optics. She was able to help us with the lighting issues we experienced at the state competition.
Achievements
2024 - 2025
Run for the Robots - FTC Premier Event (June 26)
- Think Award Winner
- OPR of 91.68
Chesapeake FTC Championship - States (Mar. 2)
- Control Award Winner
- OPR of 120.56
Virginia Beach Qualifier - 2nd Qualifier (Jan. 12)
- Ranked 3rd Place
- Inspire Award 2nd Place
- OPR of 105.66
Union Bridge Qualifier - 1st Qualifier (Dec. 7)
- Inspire Award 3rd Place
- OPR of 71.73
2023 - 2024
FIRST World Championship (Apr. 15)
- Qualified for Worlds
- OPR of 61.94
Chesapeake FTC Championship - States (Feb. 3)
- Ranked 9th Place
- Think Award Winner
- OPR of 55.63
Norfolk Academy Qualifier - 3rd Qualifier (Jan. 27)
- Ranked 1st Place
- Inspire Award 2nd Place
- Finalist Alliance Captain
- Think Award Winner
- Control Award 3rd Place
- OPR of 85.26
Harrisonburg 2 Qualifier - 2nd Qualifier (Jan. 21)
- Ranked 4th Place
- Think Award 2nd Place
- Innovate Award 3rd Place
- OPR of 51.62
Harrisonburg Qualifier - 1st Qualifier (Jan. 21)
- Think Award 2nd Place
- Innovate Award 3rd Place
- Control Award 3rd Place
- Design Award 2nd Place
2022 - 2023
Union Bridge Qualifier - 3rd Qualifier (Jan. 28)
- Finalist Alliance Captain
- Design Award 2nd Place
- OPR of 96.8
McHenry Qualifier - 2nd Qualifier (Jan. 21)
- Winning Alliance Captain
- Design Award 1st Place
- Motivate Award 2nd Place
- OPR of 106.6
Mechanicsville Qualifier - 1st Qualifier (Dec. 3)
- Winning Alliance Captain
- Design Award 1st Place
- OPR of 115.8
2021 - 2022
Alexandria Qualifier 4 – 3rd Qualifier (Jan. 22)
- Ranked 1st Place
- 818 Ranking Points
- 215 High Score
- 4 – 1 – 0 Record
Alexandria Qualifier 1 – 2nd Qualifier (Jan. 15)
- Ranked 12th Place
- 526 Ranking Points
- 189 High Score
- 3 – 2 – 0 Record
Columbia Qualifier 2 – 1st Qualifier (Dec. 4)
- Ranked 4th Place
- 366 Ranking Points
- 101 High Score
- 5 – 0 – 0 Record
Meet the Team!
Active Members
Click on a person's profile to learn more!
Eddie
Captain
Isabelle
Design Lead
Christopher
Engineering NB/Driver
Jesse
Outreach/Programming
Ivy
Outreach
Summer
Outreach
Emily
Programming
Henry
Design
Alumni
Alex
Design
Kaixin
Outreach
Sophia
Programming
Ben
Design
Name:
Role:
Robot History
2024 - 2025
Thomas 20
For the Run for the Robots FTC Premier Event, we completely redesigned robot, keeping only intake, vertical slides, and hanging mechanisms.
Features:
For the Run for the Robots FTC Premier Event, we completely redesigned robot, keeping only intake, vertical slides, and hanging mechanisms.
Features:
- Replaced string rigging on outtake with belt rigging
- Intake is co-axial with 3 degrees of freedom
- Mounted horizontal slides on outer drivetrain plates
Timmy
This was our first robot 2024-2025 Into the Deep season.
Features:
This was our first robot 2024-2025 Into the Deep season.
Features:
- Outake claw with a rotating wrist to deposit specimen
- Horizontally extendable, pivoting active intake
- Roadrunner 1.0 for autonomous movement
- YCbCr color filtering to differentiate samples and their colors
2023 - 2024
Thomas 17 v3
We redesigned the robot after qualifying for worlds.
Features:
We redesigned the robot after qualifying for worlds.
Features:
- Slide hook quickens hanging process
- Camera attached to robot allows for automatic robot alignment when intaking
- Fourth set of slides to increase vertical reach
- Redesigned intake is more stable and does not stick out of the front of the robot as much, making it less prone to collision damage
- Bumpers placed on the front of the robot which are meant to protect the intake further from any collisions
Thomas 17 v2
We redesigned the robot after our first qualifier, making states and worlds with this robot.
Features:
We redesigned the robot after our first qualifier, making states and worlds with this robot.
Features:
- Intake/Outtake: active intake allows us to intake two pixels at a time, and outtake servo spins the belts to release them one at a time
- Hanger: servo efficiently extends for fast hang
- Drone Launcher: servo releases springs for consistent launch into zone 1
- Mecanum Wheels: strafing allows easy maneuverability around the field
Thomas 17 v1
This was our first robot 2023-2024 Centerstage season. This design had extremely inconsistent intake, so we had to redesign after our first qualifier.
Features:
This was our first robot 2023-2024 Centerstage season. This design had extremely inconsistent intake, so we had to redesign after our first qualifier.
Features:
- Rotating ramp allows for intaking of pixels from a stack of pixels
- Internal Intake Outtake allows for the staggered release of two pixels, making creating mosaics easier
- Linkages powered by a servo allow for hanging
- Slide motors are stacked on top of each other to save space
2022 - 2023
Thomas 14
This was our first robot for the Power Play season.
Features:
This was our first robot for the Power Play season.
Features:
- Custom belted drivetrain
- Virtual 4-bar mounted on linear sildes
- Servo-powered cone gripper
- Active gecko wheel intake
2021 - 2022
Thomas 13
After qualifying for the regional competition, we were able to analyze some of the issues we found with our qualifying robot and made the necessary changes. We also met with Robo Troopers after qualifying for states online, in which they gave many different pieces of advice on our robot.
Features:
After qualifying for the regional competition, we were able to analyze some of the issues we found with our qualifying robot and made the necessary changes. We also met with Robo Troopers after qualifying for states online, in which they gave many different pieces of advice on our robot.
Features:
- Added a second row to intake noodles
- Replaced the side plates
- Changed the X-rail Actobotic Linear Slides to goBilda Viper Slides
- Increased the height of the outtake barrel
- Decreased the width to 12 inches
Thomas 12
This was our robot for our third qualifier in the 2021 to 2022 season, Freight Frenzy. We qualified for states with this robot.
Features:
This was our robot for our third qualifier in the 2021 to 2022 season, Freight Frenzy. We qualified for states with this robot.
Features:
- 3d printed flexible intake
- Linear slide outtake with a 3D printex box
- Improved carousel wheel
- Improved 3D printed ramp
- 6-inch mecanum wheels to drive over warehouse barriers
2020 - 2021
Maryland Tech Invitationals Robot
After the normal season, the team went back to the drawing board and redesigned the intake and arm. We were able to submit a 213 point video submission for MTI.
Features:
After the normal season, the team went back to the drawing board and redesigned the intake and arm. We were able to submit a 213 point video submission for MTI.
Features:
- Switched from a side to roller intake
- Added a bevel gear to the arm motor for space management and durability
- Replaced cardboard side plates with plastic side plates to improve durability and security
Thomas 9
This was our design for the Ultimate Goal season. We were able to make it to states with this design.
Features:
This was our design for the Ultimate Goal season. We were able to make it to states with this design.
Features:
- Mecanum drivetrain
- One wheel shooter, barrel of the robot located in the shooter
- Intake was a long track with compliant wheels to ferry rings up to the shooter