DARPA using the Old Boy Network (Score 1)

We have been involved in the Grand Challenge, since about August of last year. We not only designed and built a vehicle, also called 1010Delta, we had all our paperwork and requirements finished about 45 days ago. We tested our vehicle and have since sold it to an outside company, along with 6 more in production now. The company, VIDEOptions, was our financer, and we consider to have spent $532,900 on the vehicle and entry costs. Now, DARPA has placed several new regulations on the race that will effectively eliminate anyone but the big five. They will inspect your production facility, inspecting your capabilities and equipment, and also determining your robot's abilities on how much expensive tooling you have, no doubt. I have a copy of our acceptance letter, and can post it if anyone cares, to show how biased these things are. It's interesting that some competitors seem to have gotten regulations and information before others, but I am not naming names. Just remember the big five darlings of DARPA.