Test Box

Test Box
One of the test boxes during World Championship VII
Seasons	Long Beach 1999-PresentCitation?

"A “Test Box” is a special enclosed, armored area used for testing the operation of a single BattleBot. Test Box usage is strictly regulated."

— An extract from the 2018 BattleBots Tournament Rules

The Test Box is the name given to a small arena used to perform basic drive and weapon tests prior to a BattleBots fight, in a safe and enclosed environment.

It is known to have existed during the Comedy Central seasons of BattleBots, evident through test footage of Beta during Season 5.0.

Beta inside the Season 5.0 Test Box.

It is a large, square arena somewhat similar to the BattleBox itself, with a flat steel floor and yellow rails around the circumference. Each side is made from transparent Lexan, allowing teams to see inside when testing. An entry ramp leads up to two large doors, allowing for robots to be put into and removed from the Test Box more efficiently. Since World Championship I, BattleBots have had two near-identical Test Boxes with entrance ramps of varying steepness. One ramp measures 9' long, whereas the other is 16' in length.

ROTATOR in the Test Box during World Championship VII.

Sometimes, robots are put in the Test Box with other objects to test their weapon power. During World Championship IV, Jamison Go and SawBlaze were paired with a bicycle to cut through in one segment with Jenny Taft.

Deep Six damaging the Test Box.

Following the 2019 season, the Test Box was rebuilt after Deep Six became unbalanced and severely damaged the floor. Test Box footage has since become a popular way for teams to tease their build ahead of the premiere of an upcoming BattleBots season.

Trivia

• Due to concerns about its tethered weaponry coming loose, World Championship II drop-out HellaChopper had to be tested inside the actual BattleBox.