K-State competed against the University of Illinois, University of Florida, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Oklahoma State University, National Taiwan University (2 teams), and Texas A&M University. The 2009 competition consisted of a two-part format: a robotic trial demonstrating the capabilities of small robots designed and built by university students and a presentation outlining the details of their design. The trial theme portion was to detect the presence of trees in an artificial forest and to communicate these locations wirelessly to an off-line recording device. K-State received perfect scores in all areas.

Team members participating in competition were: Seth Perkins (BAE Senior) Wichita, KS; Andrew Osborn (BAE Senior) Baldwin City, KS; Dee-Ann Turpin (BAE Freshman) Leavenworth, KS; Wei Han (BAE graduate student) Canada; Peng Li (BAE graduate student) China. Other team members include: Alan Bauerly (ATM Senior) Tonganoxie, KS; Kelly Borgen, (BSE Junior) Manhattan, KS; Martin Brack (BAE Senior) Albert, KS; Brett O’Connor (NRES Senior) Altamont, KS; Jay Reimer (BAE Senior) Beatrice, NE; Chris Siebenmorgen (BAE Senior) Hiawatha, KS; Brent Ware (BAE Senior) Shawnee Mission, KS; and Derek Wassom (BAE Senior) Wamego, KS.