Daniel, thank you for the post - Some of that is correct and some not so (flame throwers burning polycarb ).
Like you say, it's actually very difficult to get a Lipo to actually catch fire - it's only usually when the cells are fully charged and have alot of energy in them at the time. Overcharging is the number 1 cause of fires. However, it's not that difficult to get them to let out the magic smoke. As an event organiser we want to keep the smoke levels to a minimum, and the robot cool and safe to handle.
The metal base used to be in the rule's, and like I said I'm not sure why it isn't now. We have been going by those origional rule's and tend to stick by it because it's a simple thing to help towards preventing damage to the lipo and other factor's I've explained.

Mario - I've outlined my reasons why Dave tech check's at our event's in the way he does. Its all about common sense and safety.
Quote Originally Posted by maddox10
I'm going to be annoying untill it becomes clear that it's an arbitrary ad hoc personal interpretation.
What is the difference concerning non flamability between 2mm ali and .5mm steel? Or even teflon weave.

If not in the FRA rules, it's to the EO to decline robots or not. And I guess if we're going to look closely, no robot is acceptable.............

But if we want to build perfectly safe machines, we'll have to include total control on anything. Even grade of bolts.
What's the point in being annoying for the sake of it? it's not helping anyone and just pissing everybody else off! If you don't like the reasons I've outlined as to why we want to see a metal base under lipo's then feel free to post something worthwhile as to how things can be improved rather than being so negative about it all.
We're all here to have fun, it's a hobby!