I need a Pi setup for a robotics project that is fast to boot and robust to forced shutdowns, any advice?

Thanks in advance for any tips. I’m working on a project for a robotics team that involves using a Pi to control hardware. I need a system that will boot fast (I think this can be done since I don’t need to start and X server) and ideally I need it to be stable under forced shutdowns. Any advice is much appreciated!