The Londonderry High School FIRST Robotics team added another milestone to its program history, capturing a coveted Blue Banner with a first-place finish at a New England District competition held at the University of New Hampshire.
Team 1058, known as the PVC Pirates, also earned the Industrial Design Award – the first time the program has received that honor – highlighting both the robot’s performance and the team’s engineering excellence.
The competition is part of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), an international program founded in 1989 to inspire students in science, engineering and technology through hands-on robotics challenges. Teams across the world design, build and program robots each year to compete in games that test both technical skill and strategic thinking.
This year’s challenge required robots to pick up medium-sized balls, transport them and shoot them into a large scoring area as quickly as possible, all while competing against and defending against up to five other robots on the field.
Londonderry’s robot has gone through five iterations since the game was announced in January, reflecting the trial-and-error process that defines FIRST competitions. Students and advisors worked collaboratively to refine both design and performance leading up to the event.
All materials and components are funded through corporate and local sponsorships, with the team raising approximately $50,000 this season.
Students fabricate many parts from scratch, combining engineering design with hands-on manufacturing.
This year, the team has been working out of a shared practice space in an empty storefront in Salem, where they built a full practice field alongside two other teams. The setup has allowed for more realistic preparation and collaboration.
The robot itself incorporates a mix of custom and sourced components.
Many structural and functional elements are 3D-printed on-site, while specialized parts such as metal plates, motors and cameras are purchased from outside vendors.
More than a dozen students dedicated hundreds of hours to the project, supported by mentors who are all former members of the PVC Pirates – a reflection of the program’s strong alumni involvement and continuity.
The team now advances to the New England FIRST District Championship, where more than 60 teams will compete for a spot at the world championship level. Londonderry enters ranked No. 18 in New England with 10 district points and a 23-11 record.
In a highly competitive field, the Pirates are aiming to secure at least two playoff wins – a benchmark the program has yet to reach.
Despite their recent success, the team continues to fine-tune the robot, focusing on improvements to both offensive production and defensive strategy as they prepare for the next stage of competition and a chance to further cement their place among New England’s top robotics programs.