Aerial Assist is played on a 27′ by 54′ field. Two alliances of three robots each begin the match in their corresponding colored zones, each robot optionally carrying a large ball that is two feet in diameter. During a ten-second autonomous period, robots have to independently dispose of their balls through one of three goals on their side of the field; a point scored through a lit goal scores extra points. More points are awarded if the robot moves to the end of the zone by the end of the autonomous session.
Once the teleoperated period starts, alliances must work together to take one ball across the field at a time to score it. Various actions during this traversal across the field score extra points, most notably including assists from other robots on the same alliance across zones. Each match lasts a total of two and a half minutes, and the alliance with the most points at the end wins.