Are you using the GPS sensor in the Push Back 2025-2026 game?

VEX V5 General Discussion Technical Discussion
1

This is my annual thread about this. I’ve only been to a couple of events this season and haven’t seen anyone use the “GPS Sensor”. (The one with the strips around the field) Quick show of hands (multi choice):

  • We don’t have the sensor
  • We tried and gave up on it
  • We are trying to use the GPS this season
  • We are using GPS successfully in skills
  • We are using the GPS successfully in matches
0 voters

Last seasons responses from 36 teams (41 votes):

  • 58% - We don’t have the sensor
  • 30% - We tried and gave up on it
  • 13% - We are trying to use GPS this season
  • 8% - We are using GPS successfully in skills (3 teams)
  • 2% - We are using GPS successfully in matches (1 team)

If you tried and gave up on it, can you post why you stopped using it?

2

My guys last tried using it a number of seasons ago; we have the metal fields with the tape at home. They found the sensor took about 500 ms to get an “accurate” position and only when the robot was stationary. Standing still for half a second for a position lock during skills maybe slightly better than wall squaring, but they didn’t think the juice was worth the squeeze.

3

Its a bit too expensive to putchase, but I think it would be pretty helpful for odom resets after entering the parking zone.

4

I had a team that used it as an autonomous selector and position setter. As mentor 355U notes, it is pretty good if given enough time while stationary. So they set their robot roughly in position and the GPS sensor identifed which auton it should run and set it’s heading and position.