# Choose the Mission

Part of the Robotics Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/robotics/guide/index.md)

*4. Design and Build Your Robot*

> **4a.** With your counselor's approval, choose a task for the robot or robotic subsystem that you plan to build. Include sensor feedback and programming in the task. Document this information in your robot engineering notebook.

A robot project goes wrong fastest when the mission is fuzzy. “Build a cool robot” is not a mission. “Build a robot that drives to a line, stops within 2 inches, and raises a small arm when a button is pressed” is a mission. The clearer the task, the easier it is to design, build, program, and test.

## Pick a task that is real and reachable

Your task should be just hard enough to show real robotics skills, but not so huge that you run out of time. A good robotics merit badge project usually has three parts:

1. **A specific job** the robot must accomplish
2. **At least one sensor** that affects behavior
3. **Programming logic** that makes decisions or sequences actions

Examples of strong project ideas include:

- a robot that follows a line and stops at a marked zone
- a robotic arm that sorts two object types by color or position
- a robot that backs away when it senses an obstacle
- a subsystem that raises and lowers an attachment to set positions using a limit switch or encoder

A weak project is one where the sensor is just decoration. If the robot would behave the same way with the sensor unplugged, the task probably needs improvement.

Video: [What Qualifies as a Robot for Robotics Merit Badge? (video)](https://youtu.be/6dYq9bBSaWc?list=PLHGEvyG5wuthXQZzTc-mLwFrP5F6_1Lce)

## What to record in your engineering notebook

Your notebook does not need to be fancy. It needs to be clear. Write down:

- the task you chose
- why you chose it
- what the robot must sense
- what the robot must decide
- what counts as success
- limits such as time, size, parts, or budget

Try writing a short mission statement like this:

> My robot will carry a small object from a start zone to a target zone, stop when a distance sensor detects the wall, and release the object using a servo-controlled arm.

That statement already includes action, sensor feedback, and programming.

**Mission definition checklist** — Use these questions before you ask for counselor approval

- [ ] Clear goal: Can I describe exactly what the robot should do in one or two sentences?
- [ ] Sensor role: What input will the robot use to react to the world?
- [ ] Program logic: What decision or sequence will the code control?
- [ ] Testable result: How will I know whether it succeeded?
- [ ] Realistic scope: Can I finish this with the parts, time, and skills I have?

> **Tip**
>
> When you talk with your counselor, bring two ideas instead of one. If your first idea is too large, you can quickly shift to a simpler backup plan without losing momentum.

![Open engineering notebook with robot mission statement, sensor notes, and success criteria](https://ik.imagekit.io/doulacoop/tr:w-800/mbu-assets/merit-badges/robotics/guide/robotics-notebook-mission-plan?v=5dff6577)

The mission comes first. Next, turn that mission into a design you can actually build.

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- Previous: [From Idea to Finished Robot](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/robotics/guide/req4/index.md)
- Next: [Sketch the System](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/robotics/guide/req4b/index.md)