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Night Fury (FTC Team 36399) is STEAM Labs’ own FIRST Tech Challenge team, competing in the 2026–27 BIO BUZZ season. Built and run by students in grades 7–12, the team designs, fabricates and codes its robot in our Ekkamai studio every Sunday.
Watch the team introduce themselves, then follow their season as they take on Thailand’s FTC competitions.
The FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) is the world’s leading competition for students in grades 7–12. Teams design, build, program and operate a robot to play a challenging floor game against alliances of other teams — combining mechanical engineering, coding and real teamwork. Our season-long coaching programme in Ekkamai, Bangkok prepares students to compete at the highest level in Thailand and beyond.
FTC is designed for students in grades 7–12 who are ready for a bigger engineering challenge. It is ideal if your child:
Ideal for experienced VEX V5 students looking for the next step. FTC raises the ceiling with industrial-style components, Java programming and far more freedom in how the robot is designed and built.
FTC can run alongside VEX as a second competition pathway. Students compete on Sundays with FTC and keep their VEX programme, broadening their experience across two of the world’s biggest robotics competitions.
Unlike kit-based competitions, most parts on an FTC robot are custom made. Students design in Fusion 360 and manufacture parts on our Omio X8-2200 CNC, xTool MetalFab, 3D printers and laser cutters — real engineering, not assembly.
Students aiming for engineering, computer science or design degrees gain hands-on manufacturing, CAD and software experience, plus a portfolio and competition record that stands out on applications.
A Full Competition Season. FTC runs as a season rather than a short course. Teams meet weekly on Sundays at our Ekkamai studio, working from kick-off through build season to regional and national championships. For 2027–28 we are opening a second FTC team — applications open in January 2027, followed by a pre-season training programme. Register your interest early as places are limited.
FTC is for students in grades 7–12 (roughly ages 12–18). Students work as a single engineering team, taking on real roles — mechanical, electrical, software and documentation — just like a professional robotics company. Younger and newer members are mentored by more experienced students, building leadership as well as technical skill.
FTC robots are built from a robust metal-and-plastic kit, then pushed far beyond it. Students combine the standard FTC control system with custom CAD-designed parts, 3D-printed components and laser-cut mechanisms — engineering genuine solutions rather than following instructions. 🔗 firstinspires.org
Students design parts in CAD and fabricate them in-house in our Foundry workshop using:
Every custom part is designed, tested and iterated by the students themselves.
Our coaches are trained in UK STEM teaching methods and provide expert guidance in:
Students learn to think like competitive engineers:
FTC judges award some of the biggest honours for engineering and documentation, not just robot performance. We coach students on:
Engineering beyond the kit. Night Fury has a dedicated Omio X8-2200 CNC router — the same class of machine used by FTC and FRC teams around the world to produce precision robot parts.
Students leave with real manufacturing skills that go far beyond a typical school robotics club.
Every season follows the same rhythm — from kick-off and strategy, through design, build and code, to competition and reflection.
Students learn the full engineering design process — defining a problem, prototyping, testing and iterating — on a robot that has to perform under real match pressure.
FTC robots are programmed in Java using the official FTC SDK — the same language used in university computer science and industry. Students move from Blocks to Java as their confidence grows.
FTC teams run like a small engineering company. Students take ownership of sub-teams, manage deadlines, mentor newer members and make decisions together.
Judges reward teams that share what they learn. Students present to judges, build the team’s brand and social media, and lead outreach with the RAT Foundation to fund robot kits for Thai schools.
FTC is recognised by universities worldwide as evidence of genuine STEM experience. Students can also become eligible for FIRST scholarships and build a strong portfolio for engineering and computer science applications.
FTC is played by thousands of teams in dozens of countries. Night Fury competes in Thailand’s FTC events, with pathways to international championships for top-performing teams.
Outreach is at the heart of FIRST, and Night Fury uses it to make a real difference. Through STEAM Labs’ close connection to the RAT Foundation — the Thai non-profit robotics charity co-founded by Mr Rob and Khun Gift — students lead outreach and fundraising to bring robotics to schools in the Thai community.
It’s real impact — and exactly the kind of community work FTC judges recognise with awards.
Following Night Fury’s first season, STEAM Labs is expanding to two FTC teams for the 2027–28 season. Applications open in January 2027. Successful applicants join a structured pre-season training programme before the new game is revealed, so every student starts the season ready to contribute.
Students practise presenting ideas, writing clear engineering notes and speaking confidently to judges, sponsors and the community.
Students learn how a high-performing FTC team works — sub-team roles, planning sprints, giving feedback and making decisions together.
Hands-on training and safety sign-off on our workshop tools before students use them unsupervised in build season:
Students learn to model parts and assemblies in Autodesk Fusion 360, then take designs through to CAM toolpaths ready for the CNC and 3D printers.
An introduction to the FTC SDK in Java — driver controls, motors and servos, sensors and simple autonomous routines on a practice robot.
Students learn how to document the design process from day one, building the habits that win judged awards like the Inspire and Think Awards.
Everything parents and students ask us about joining an FTC team at STEAM Labs.
No prior FTC experience is required. Many students join after VEX IQ or VEX V5, but motivated beginners with an interest in engineering, coding or design are welcome. Experienced members mentor newer students as part of the team culture.
FTC is for students in grades 7–12 (roughly ages 12–18). It is the natural next step for students who have outgrown VEX V5, and an additional pathway for VEX students who want to work with more advanced equipment and custom-made parts.
The team meets every Sunday at our studio in Ekkamai, Bangkok, a short walk from BTS Ekkamai. Extra build sessions may be scheduled in the run-up to competitions.
FTC robots run on Android-based hardware and are programmed in Java using the official FTC SDK. Beginners can start with Blocks before moving to Java.
An FTC season runs from the game reveal at kick-off in September through to regional and national championships. Students commit to the full season as part of a team.
Applications for the 2027–28 season open in January 2027. We are recruiting for a second FTC team, so there are more places than ever — but they are still limited, so contact us now to register your interest.
New members join a pre-season training programme before the game is revealed. They build skills in communication and teamwork, learn Fusion 360 CAD, complete safety training on our workshop machinery (CNC, xTool MetalFab, 3D printers and laser cutters) and get started with Java programming — so they are ready to contribute from kick-off.
We are recruiting for a second FTC team to compete alongside Night Fury in the 2027–28 season. Under the guidance of British-qualified coaches, students train in communication, teamwork, Fusion 360 CAD and workshop machinery during pre-season, then design, build and code a real competition robot for Thailand’s FTC events. Applications open in January 2027.
