How to Find Us

Robot Garden makerspace is located at the Livermore Municipal Airport. We are spread out in several different locations, so visitors and new members will need to verify their meeting point for any Robot Garden activities. Only Robot Garden members who have taken Airport Safety Training will have full access to our hangars located inside the airport security fence line. Anyone who is not a member or has not taken the safety training will need to meet an escort outside the fence line. Here are the two most common rendezvous points outside the fence line:

RENDEZVOUS POINT #1

Five Rivers Aviation -- 700 Terminal Circle, Livermore, CA 94551

We have a small office located inside Five Rivers Aviation, the acting terminal building for business aviation. Most of our general meetings are held here. Five Rivers Aviation is outside the airport fence line. Park in the Five Rivers parking lot and proceed to the lobby. The lobby is in the hangar section closest to the runway. They are open from 6am to 6pm seven days each week.

RENDEZVOUS POINT #2

180 Airway Blvd, Livermore, CA 94551

Our main makerspace is located in a hangar in the NE corner of the airport (near Airway Blvd and Isabelle Ave/Rt84). This is inside the airport's fence line, so we are not directly open to the public. All visitors will meet in the small parking lot in front of Altamont Aviation then follow their escort through the airport gate to our makerspace. (This location was previously occupied by a company called Altamont Aviation. They recently moved so their business name may still show up on online maps.)

AIRPORT SAFETY

Livermore Municipal Airport (KLVK) is an active and thriving airport. Small airplanes regularly taxi up and down the hangar rows. Our hangars are located inside the security fence line. Anyone visiting our hangars must be aware of the following safety issues and both follow airport & Robot Garden guidelines. 

GROUND VEHICLE DRIVER ORIENTATION

ALL drivers visiting Robot Garden's hangars must first complete the "Ground Vehicle Driver Orientation" training made available on the airport's website. Review the PDF document available at this link. Robot Garden members must also fill out the airport's web form (available at the same link) acknowledging that they understand the requirements and agree to abide by them.

Web Link -- Livermore Airport Ground Vehicle Driver Orientation

Fill out the web form as follows:

Name - yours

User Type - Guest

Hangar # - 90

Flying Club / Guest of / Company / City Dept - Robot Garden

Email - yours

Phone - yours

DRIVING TIPS

When inside the airport's security fence line, drivers must adhere to these safety protocols. 

• Be visible - Many small airplanes have limited ground visibility so pilots might not see smaller cars.

• Turn on your headlights - for greater visibility.

• Get out of their way - Airplanes don't have a reverse gear, so it is your duty to yield or get out of their way. Turn around or backup as needed.

• Stay on the asphalt - Do not drive on the dirt or gravel areas.

• Crack open car windows on both sides - to better hear any approaching planes.

• Keep the radio off - to better ensure hearing any plane engines.

• Keep conversations to a minimum - to avoid distractions.

• Listen attentively - many small airplanes have surprisingly quiet engines. You won't hear them until you are right on top of them!

• Go slow around blind corners - to avoid surprises! Especially when driving around the hangars where visibility is lowest and engine noise is blocked by the hangars.

• Find an alternate route - if an airplane is sitting in a hangar row, do NOT attempt to drive around it. Turn around and go down another hangar row that is clear of planes.

• Know the boundary - know the dividing line between movement & non-movement areas of the airport. See below.

  • non-movement area - these are the ramps, aprons, tarmacs and hangar rows. You are free to drive a ground vehicle in these areas.

  • movement area - these are the taxiways and runways. Only authorized airplanes (and authorized work vehicles) are allowed to move about the taxiways and runways. 

    • At Livermore Airport, the Air Traffic Control Tower must be contacted for this approval. Robot Garden members will NEVER have a reason to drive vehicles on the taxiways and runways. 

THE GATES

Access to Hangar 90 (aka H90) is typically through North Gate 1, a motorized access gate. 

• A keypad is present just outside the gate and is used for controlling access.

• Only paying Robot Garden members who have completed the Ground Vehicle Driver Orientation are provided with an access code.

  • Robot Garden sponsors several high school & middle school robotics teams. Adult mentors are provided access codes only upon completion of safety training as detailed above.

• Entering -- To open the gate when entering, a valid access code must be entered into the keypad.

• Exiting -- To open the gate when exiting, slowly drive your vehicle up to the gate until the available sensor detects your vehicle.

  • The sensor is embedded in the asphalt just inside the gate.

  • The sensor is a type of metal detector and will detect your vehicle once sufficient metal mass is positioned over top of the sensor.

  • It is best to approach perpendicular to the gate for best effect.

  • Depending upon your vehicle you might have to approach as close as one foot from the gate, so approach SLOWLY!

• Drivers should NOT use any other airport gates until they have received specific training to do so.

PARKING

• Park only in front of Hangar 90 or along the retaining wall that parallels Isabelle Ave / Rt 84.

• NEVER park in front of other hangars owned/leased by other pilots or businesses.

• As a courtesy to others, only park in front of Hangar 90 when you have to load or unload equipment and/or supplies.

For additional airport info, visit the KLVK website.