The Hitchhikers
Team 2059, The Hitchhikers Robotics group, strives to build competitive robots, and spread the impact of STEM throughout our community by helping high school aged students gain vital knowledge about Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, and Project Management.
The Hitchhikers were founded in 2010 and have since produced one of the most successful robotics teams in North Carolina.
Playing in the FIRST Robotics Competition, The Hitchhikers have helped countless children gain a foothold in STEM education and have promoted sponsors on a world stage in front of thousands of viewers.
What is first?
FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen. Based in Manchester, NH, the 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity works to develop ways to inspire students in engineering and technology fields.
FIRST’s mission is to “inspire young people to be science and technology leaders and innovators, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.”
2025 Robot Overview
Name
Wonko The Sane
Season
2024-2025
Game
Reefscape
Drivetrain
Swerve
When the 2025 challenge was announced, our team was excited to get started. This year’s robot, Wonko The Sane, is built for the Reefscape game with a swerve drivetrain for smooth movement and quick turns.
It uses a two-stage elevator to handle coral and algae, letting us collect and place game pieces efficiently. The design focuses on being reliable and effective on the field.
Team Blog
Keep up to date with what the team is doing by checking out our blog posts below. For more posts or older posts, check out our archive or click the button below.
2026 Team Applications Open!
This year was one of the Hitchhikers' most successful seasons in many years. After earning a blue banner at the Wake County district event, becoming finalists in Pitt County, winning ANOTHER blue banner at UNC Pembroke, and making it to states, we couldn't be...
FNC District Wake County Event
WOW! What a weekend!! We ended up ranked 6th at the Wake County District Event after the qualification rounds. We competed in the playoffs as the Captain of Alliance 4. We chose Team 9032 RoboWhales and Team 5190 Falcon Fury to join our Alliance. After many tight and...
2025 Season – BUSY!
Greetings from the Hitchhikers! We have been busy getting ready for the 2025 Season. Finishing the updates to "Wonko", increasing the speed of collecting, placing Coral and climbing the cage. We have a few 2 coral auto programmed now, but still having a few...
2024 Season – Week 11
Greetings from the Hitchhikers! In Week 11, we are busy finishing the updates to "Max", increasing the speed of collecting, shooting and climbing. We have a few 3 note autos programmed now,
Orange County District Competition
Title: The Hitchhikers Robotics Team Takes Orange County by Storm! Hey everyone! If you've been following the journey of The Hitchhikers robotics team, you know that we're always up for a challenge and a good time. Well, let me tell you about our recent adventure at...
2024 Season – Week 7
Greetings from the Hitchhikers!In Week 7, we finished building "Max" and continue programming and testing. We had tryouts for the drivers and drive team.