FLL Team #42805 Β· Maple Ridge, BC

ROYAL
NPCs

Not Just NPCs. Main Characters.

Meadowridge School's FIRST LEGO League team - building robots, changing the world, and going to Worlds.

380
Robot Score
#2
BC/Yukon Rank
525
Max Possible Pts
πŸ†

QUALIFIED FOR WORLDS 2026

FLL World Festival Β· Long Beach, California Β· The highest stage in FIRST LEGO League

Royal NPCs team at qualifier
Royal NPCs celebrating with trophy
// What we stand for

CORE VALUES

FIRST Core Values are the foundation of everything we do - from how we build our robot to how we treat our competitors. These aren't just words on a rubric to us.

🀝
Teamwork
We accomplish more together than any of us could alone. Every team member has a voice, a role, and is essential to our success.
Our AA (Attachment Assistance) system - one member places the robot while another manages attachments, perfectly synchronized.
πŸ§ͺ
Discovery
We explore, we question, we learn. From interviewing Dr. Burley at SFU to researching LiDAR and GPR, discovery drives everything.
We researched LiDAR, GPR, aerial robotics, AI in archaeology - then interviewed a professor to validate our findings.
πŸ’‘
Innovation
We approach every problem creatively and find solutions no one else has tried. DiggoBot didn't exist before us - now it does.
Evolved from a vibration-based digger to a drill-powered swarm robot after expert feedback revealed the original flaw.
🌍
Impact
Our work matters beyond the competition floor. AI-powered pottery restoration protects cultural heritage for all of humanity.
Our CAS club mentors younger students in 3D modelling - paying forward the knowledge we've gained.
🀲
Inclusion
Every team member contributed, every voice was heard. We rotated roles, shared ideas, and never let anyone get left behind.
From coding to building to research to presentations - everyone had a meaningful part to play in our journey.
πŸ˜„
Fun
We kept it light. Sleepovers, inside jokes, a YouTube channel, snack fundraisers, and enough energy to power our robot.
We planned a Mario Movie night, sold snacks at competitions, and kept our spirits high through every setback.
// Innovation Project 2025–26

THE PROBLEM WE SOLVED

Our innovation project tackles one of archaeology's biggest challenges - finding and recovering ancient artifacts without destroying them in the process.

The Problem

Every year, archaeologists recover thousands of broken ancient pottery fragments and vases. Their shattered condition makes it nearly impossible for museums to display them - or for the public to appreciate their historical value.

Traditional excavation is blind. Digging without knowing what's underground causes accidents - shattering pots, cracking fossils, and destroying irreplaceable history before anyone even sees it.

Once artifacts are found, the second problem begins: broken pieces are nearly impossible to reconstruct by hand without damaging them further. Most end up sitting in storage forever, unseen by the world.

Our Solution

DiggoBot is an AI-guided underground exploration robot that safely locates artifacts before any digging begins - then carefully surfaces them for expert review without causing damage.

Once the artifact is safely recovered, our AI reconstruction software digitally rebuilds broken pottery fragments - scanning pieces, analyzing patterns and designs, identifying origins, and generating a complete 3D model of what the vessel originally looked like.

Together, the two systems form a complete pipeline: DiggoBot finds and surfaces artifacts safely, and the AI software makes them accessible to museums, researchers, and students worldwide - without ever physically touching the originals.

EXPERT VALIDATION

We didn't just build a solution - we tested it against real-world expertise.

Dr. Burley
Simon Fraser University
Revealed that our original vibration-based digging mechanism wouldn't generate enough force underground - directly leading us to pivot to a drill-based system. Critical iteration moment.
Dr. Kirkpatrick
Academic Expert
Provided additional expert perspective on the archaeological field and our solution's real-world viability. Helped us sharpen the scope and impact of our innovation.
Physics Teacher
Meadowridge School
Validated the mechanical principles behind our drill mechanism and sensor systems. Helped us understand the physics of underground resistance and pressure calibration.
WHAT WE DELIVER TO JUDGES
+ Physical DiggoBot prototype model
+ AI software demo for pottery reconstruction
+ Live sandbox demonstration (box filled with sand)
+ Documentation binder - full process journal
+ Zoom recording evidence from Dr. Burley interview
+ 1–2 visual presentation posters
+ 3D-printed model of original DiggBot concept
+ Leave-behind materials for judges
3
Experts Interviewed
GPR+AI
Core Technology
2-in-1
Find + Reconstruct
// Technology Stack

HOW DIGGOBOT WORKS

DiggoBot combines multiple cutting-edge sensing technologies to map and extract underground artifacts safely - no shovels, no guesswork, no damage.

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Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)
Sends electromagnetic pulses into the ground. Reflected signals create visual subsurface maps - revealing artifacts without a single dig.
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LiDAR (Light Detection & Ranging)
Fires rapid laser pulses to build precise 3D terrain models. Can detect structures, vegetation, and underground features from above.
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Artificial Intelligence
Recognizes underground patterns, enables autonomous navigation, adjusts digging pressure for delicate artifacts, and reconstructs broken pottery digitally.
🌊
Side-Scan Sonar
For underwater archaeology - sends acoustic pulses through water to create 2D maps of the seabed, locating shipwrecks and submerged artifacts.
🚁
Aerial Robotics (UAVs)
Autonomous drones carry LiDAR and GPR above large archaeological sites, surveying areas in hours that would take humans months.
πŸ€–
DIGGOBOT

AI-powered swarm explorer with drill mechanics, sensor arrays, and autonomous underground navigation. From vibration-digger to precision drilling robot - our biggest iteration.

DRILL BIT AI VISION SWARM CAPABLE SOFT GRIPPERS 3D MAPPING AUTONOMOUS NAV
// Robot Design & Coding

ROBOT PERFORMANCE

Maximum possible score: 525 points. Our robot is built for precision, speed, and multi-mission efficiency - and our Chungus attachment is the most evolved piece of hardware we have ever built.

525
Max Possible Points
380
Qualifier Score - #2 BC/Yukon
525
Best Practice Run

MISSION BREAKDOWN

Some examples of missions we tackle in the 2025-26 Submerged season - there are many more on the full field.

M01 - Surface Brushing
10 pts per soil deposit cleared from the mat. Bonus 10 pts if the archaeologist's brush is not touching the dig site. Our fork attachment handles this in a single clean pass.
10–20 pts
M02 - Map Reveal
10 pts per topsoil section cleared. A passive attachment pushes tiles to their correct position as the robot travels - done simultaneously with M01 in a single run.
10–30 pts
M03/M04 - Mineshaft Explorer & Careful Recovery
30 pts if our minecart reaches the other team's field. Uses a gravity-powered arm to generate the pushing force - reliable and fast.
30 pts
M07 - Millstone
30 pts if the millstone doesn't touch the base - plus 5 additional pts for moving it into the forum. Completed by the Chungus attachment's fixed arm.
30–35 pts
M08 - Silo
30 pts for getting all 3 food items out of the silo. The Chungus movable arm strikes the silo with a weighted end - enough force to clear the gears in under 3 hits.
30 pts
Artifacts - General Collection
10 pts per artifact collected: Brush, Topsoil, Precious Artifact, Opposing Team's Minecart, Ore with Fossilized Artifact, Millstone, Scale Pan. We strategically collect multiple per run.
10 pts each

ROBOT DESIGN

Built with efficiency and reliability as the core principles

Compact Cage Frame
Wider than tall - deliberately lowers the center of gravity for stability through turns and over terrain. The cage on top allows attachments to slide on and lock in securely using blue pins.
Small EV3 Wheels
Chosen specifically for accuracy over speed. Smaller wheels produce more precise movement per motor rotation - critical for gyro-based navigation where millimeters matter.
4-Motor Layout
2 drive motors, 2 attachment motors. Both attachment motors face upward for a direct connection to arms - giving us two independently movable arms simultaneously, massively increasing coding efficiency.
AA System (Attachment Assistance)
One operator places the robot precisely; the AA (Attachment Assist) teammate simultaneously handles attachment swaps, adjustments, and positioning. Cuts transition time between runs dramatically.

THE CHUNGUS ATTACHMENT

Our most evolved piece of hardware - built through iteration, jigs, and precise gear ratio engineering

The Chungus attachment completes missions 5, 6, 7, and 8 in a single run - under 30 seconds. It has one fixed arm and one motorized movable arm, each serving distinct missions without any swap required.
The movable arm is deployed first to strike the M08 Silo - a weighted end generates enough force to dislodge all 3 food items in under 3 hits. The arm then retracts, and the fixed arm takes over for M05, M06, and M07.
What makes it different from standard attachments: it uses custom jigs for consistent placement repeatability, and engineered gear ratios to trade speed for torque - meaning slower, more forceful, more reliable arm movement.
Quick-Lock System
Blue pins snap the attachment to the robot's cage in under 2 seconds - faster than any screw or clip system we tested.
Jig-Based Placement
Custom jigs ensure the robot and attachment land in exactly the same position every run - eliminating human error from placement.
Gear Ratio Engineering
Tuned gear ratios sacrifice rotational speed for torque - critical for the silo strike and millstone push where force matters more than velocity.
Dual-Arm in One Run
4 missions, 1 attachment, under 30 seconds. This is what separates Chungus from anything we built before it.

CODING SYSTEM

Built around one principle: precision is worth more than speed

Gyro Straight - Custom MyBlock
Our core straight-line movement block uses the EV3 gyroscope's yaw angle rather than wheel rotations. A repeating loop reads the yaw error (target degrees minus current angle) and applies a correction force in real time. If the robot drifts right, it nudges left - continuously, until the target distance is reached. This is more accurate than encoder-based movement because it corrects for surface inconsistencies as they happen.
Gyro Turn - Custom MyBlock
Turns are controlled by waiting until the yaw angle hits the target degree value. If the robot overshoots, it immediately reverses - correcting back to the exact angle. This "bounce correction" prevents cumulative drift from building up over a full run. The result: turns accurate to within 1–2 degrees, every single time, regardless of how fast the robot was moving before the turn.
Sensor Integration
Color sensors confirm the robot is in the correct zone before executing critical mission moves - preventing costly misalignment when a mission depends on exact positioning. Ultrasonic sensors detect obstacles and dynamic mat elements. Touch sensors trigger attachment sequences at the exact moment of physical contact with mission objects.
Multi-Mission Run Strategy
We prioritize missions by point value per second of robot time - then group geographically close missions into single runs. M01+M02 are done in one pass with a fork and passive pusher. M05+M06+M07+M08 are Chungus's territory. M03/M04 (Mineshaft) pairs with Adi's side missions. This minimizes wasted travel distance and maximizes points scored in the 2:30 time limit.
Degrees-to-CM Calculator
We use a custom degrees-to-centimeters conversion tool (inspired by a ChatGPT integration) to translate physical field measurements directly into motor degree values. This means when we measure a distance on the mat, we can program it exactly rather than trial-and-erroring through approximations. It cut our calibration time significantly.
Repeated Testing + Documentation
Every code change was tested across multiple consecutive runs and the results logged. We tracked success rates per mission, not just total scores - so we could identify specifically which part of a run was inconsistent. Foxy Mission alone went through multiple full rebuilds. The Precious Artifact code now returns to base with a 100% success rate.
// The people behind the robot

OUR TEAM

Eight passionate students from Meadowridge School in Maple Ridge, BC - curious about the past, creative in our solutions, determined to make a difference.

Royal NPCs team at qualifier event

At the Qualifier

LM1 Β· March 2026 Β· 2nd Place Champion's Award

Royal NPCs celebrating with provincial trophy

Provincials Champions

BC/Yukon 2026 Β· Qualified for FLL World Festival πŸ†

πŸ‘‘
Aryamaan
Innovation Lead
DeepDiscover concept, presentation planning, iteration strategy
βš™οΈ
Wes
Build Lead
Robot construction, attachment evolution, chungus attachment designer
πŸ’»
Zayaan
Coding Lead
Foxy missions, gyro coding, 80pt reliable combo, CAS club
🎯
Adi
Coding & Sensors
Sensor integration, mission strategy, foxy mission 2, CAS club
πŸ”¬
Surya
Research & Design
2D/3D model annotation, research, criteria planning, DiggBot drawings
🎀
Ben
Prototyping & Outreach
3D model building, expert interviews, attachment building
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Brayden
Outreach & Testing
Expert email outreach, repeated testing documentation, impact communication
πŸ—οΈ
Lawrence
Research & Build
Robot background research, poster layout, right-hand proficiency πŸ˜„
// How we stack up

PROVINCIAL STANDINGS

Our results across the 2025-26 season speak for themselves. Three podium finishes, two qualifying events, and a ticket to Worlds.

πŸ₯ˆ
2nd Place Champion's Award
LM1 Qualifier, 2025-26 Season. Out of 25 teams, we placed second in the highest award FLL gives out, which covers robot performance, innovation, and core values combined.
πŸ₯ˆ
2nd Place Champion's Award
BC/Yukon Provincials, 2025-26 Season. We backed it up on the biggest stage in the province and earned our spot to the FLL World Festival.
πŸ₯ˆ
2nd Place Robot Design and Coding Award
Recognized specifically for our coding system and robot engineering. A result of months of gyro tuning, attachment iteration, and grinding timed runs.
πŸ†
Qualified for FLL World Festival 2026
Long Beach, California. One of 7 teams from BC/Yukon advancing to compete against the best teams from over 100 countries.

AWARD PREDICTIONS

πŸ†
Champion's Award
72%
πŸ€–
Robot Performance
58%
πŸ’‘
Innovation Project
65%
❀️
Core Values
55%

Our ~78% estimated chance of advancing to Worlds reflects both our robot score (#2 known) and our judging performance (2nd Champion's Award at LM1). The most dangerous unknown: 13 teams whose scores haven't been revealed.

// Our season from start to finish

THE JOURNEY

From our first meeting to qualifying for Worlds - every step, struggle, and breakthrough that got us here.

SEPTEMBER 2025
Season Kickoff - Submerged πŸ›οΈ
First meetings. Robot at 60% - motors attached, hub connected. Team brainstormed innovation ideas. The archaeological theme began to take shape. Research started: LiDAR, GPR, UAVs.
πŸ€– Robot: 60%
OCTOBER 2025
Robot Complete + Code Begins πŸ’»
Robot rebuilt for TrackX-style design. All wheels attached. Coding kicked off with Surface Brushing, Map Reveal, and Tip the Scales. Full team attendance - Wes, Zayaan, Aryamaan, Adi, Ben, Brayden, Lawrence all in. Elevator pitch finished.
βœ… Robot: 100%
NOVEMBER 2025
Innovation Breakthrough + Expert Interview πŸ”¬
Interviewed Dr. Burley at Simon Fraser University. Discovered vibration-based digging wouldn't work - pivoted to drill mechanism. Surya completed 2D model with annotations. Brayden sent 4+ outreach emails. Ben built 3D model. Reliable 80-point mission achieved.
πŸ’‘ DiggoBot evolved
DECEMBER 2025
Tri-Fold, Timed Runs, Final Push πŸƒ
Poster design finalized. Foxy Mission 1 & 2 completed. Precious Artifact code locked in. Timed runs began. Presentation script refined across all rubric criteria. 5-minute IP and 5-minute Robot Design presentations ready.
🎯 400+ reliable pts
MARCH 2026
LM1 Qualifier - 2nd Place πŸ₯ˆ
Robot scored 380 points - 2nd highest at LM1 out of 25 teams. Earned 2nd Place Champion's Award. Qualified for BC/Yukon Provincials. The entire season validated in one day.
πŸ… 2nd Champion's Award
APRIL 2026
PROVINCIALS - QUALIFIED FOR WORLDS 🌍
BC/Yukon Provincial Championship. Competing against 32 teams. 7 spots to the FLL World Festival. The Royal NPCs secured their spot. INTERNATIONALS!
πŸ† WORLDS BOUND
πŸ†
WE'RE GOING
TO WORLDS

The FLL World Festival is the highest level of FIRST LEGO League competition - bringing together the best teams from over 100 countries.

100+
Countries
2026
Season
7
BC Spots
FLL World Festival 2026   Β·   Long Beach, California   Β·   Team #42805

Getting There

✈️
YVR β†’ LAX
5:30 AM departure
🏨
Long Beach Marriott
Long Beach, California
πŸ—
Raising Cane's
First California meal
πŸŒ…
Pit Setup Day
Thursday morning priority
// How we got here

FUNDRAISING & SPONSORS

Getting to Worlds costs real money. We did not just wait for it to show up. We hustled, got creative, and built community support from the ground up.

Concession Stand

We ran our own snack stand at competitions, selling chips, Pepsi, Coke, Sprite, Crush, Oreos, two-bite brownies, Buble water, and snack bars. Every item was bought in bulk, priced for profit, and sold by the team. We tracked costs and margins for every product and turned a real profit on each one.

Drinks profit
$36+
Total profit
$142+
Mario Movie Night

We organized a full school event for Grades 1 to 7 at Meadowridge. Mario theme, red and blue decorations, question blocks, Just Dance, board games, pizza, and a screening of the Mario Movie. Tickets were $10 in advance and $15 at the door. We handled everything from promotion to cleanup.

Expected attendance
50 kids
Ticket price
$10-15
Giveaways and Pit Engagement

At competitions we hand out custom giveaways to other teams, judges, and spectators. These are not random items. They reflect our archaeological theme and our identity as a team.

πŸ“Œ
Custom Team Pins
Royal NPCs branded pins that other teams can trade and collect. A staple of FLL culture and one of the best ways to make your team memorable.
🏺
Archaeological Themed Mazes
Custom printed maze puzzles with an archaeology twist. Designed to match our innovation project theme and give people something fun to take home that actually connects to what we are doing.
πŸŒ€
Spin the Wheel
A spin-the-wheel activity at our pit that draws people in, creates energy around our booth, and gives us a chance to talk about our project to anyone who walks by.
Our Sponsors

We reached out to local companies and organizations who believe in young people doing something real. In return, sponsors get their logo on our shirts and merch, shoutouts on our YouTube channel, and recognition as supporters of youth STEM in the Lower Mainland.

πŸš€
MDA Space
Technology Sponsor
πŸ“‘
TELUS
Community Sponsor
πŸ›’
Save-On Foods
Community Sponsor
βš™οΈ
Finning International
Industry Sponsor
Interested in sponsoring us for Worlds?
royalnpc42805@gmail.com