RoboSub is a competition whose goal is to advance the development of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) by challenging a new generation of engineers to perform realistic missions in an underwater environment. It was launched in 1997 and is co-sponsored by the RoboNation (formerly the AUVSI Foundation) and the Office of Naval Research (ONR). The event also serves to foster ties between young engineers and the organizations developing AUV technologies. The competition is open to high school and college teams from around the world. Since about 2002, it has been held each summer at the U.S. Navy Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific's TRANSDEC Anechoic pool in San Diego, California. In 2022, the competition takes place at the University of Maryland, College Park.
There were no live competition winners in 2021 as the competition was held online. Instead, competitors were judged on submitted videos, reports, and website.[1]
Year | 1st place | 2nd place | 3rd place |
---|---|---|---|
2023 | National University of Singapore | BRAC University | University of Alberta |
2022 | National University of Singapore | Amador Valley High School | Carnegie Mellon University |
2021 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
2020 | Team Inspiration | Si Se Puede Foundation & Arizona State University | Tecnológico de Monterrey |
2019 | Harbin Engineering University | Far Eastern Federal University / Institute for Marine Technology Problems | Arizona State University Polytechnic |
2018 | Harbin Engineering University | National University of Singapore | École de Technologie Supérieure / California Institute of Technology (shared) |
2017 | Cornell University | Far Eastern Federal University | National University of Singapore |
2016 | California Institute of Technology | Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay | Cornell University |
2015 | San Diego State University | National University of Singapore | Maritime State University |
2014 | Cornell University | University of Florida | École de Technologie Supérieure |
2013 | Cornell University | University of Florida | Far Eastern Federal University |
2012 | Cornell University | University of Florida | École de Technologie Supérieure |
2011 | École de Technologie Supérieure | Cornell University | University of Florida |
2010 | Cornell University | U.S. Naval Academy | University of Maryland |
2009 | Cornell University | University of Victoria | University of Rhode Island |
2008 | University of Maryland | University of Texas at Dallas | École de Technologie Supérieure |
2007 | University of Florida | University of Rhode Island | École de Technologie Supérieure |
2006 | University of Florida | Duke University | École de Technologie Supérieure |
2005 | University of Florida | École de Technologie Supérieure | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
2004 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cornell University | École de Technologie Supérieure |
2003 | Cornell University | École de Technologie Supérieure | Duke University |
2002 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cornell University | University of Florida |
2001 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Amador Valley High School | University of Florida |
2000 | University of Rhode Island | Cornell University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (tie) | U.S. Naval Academy |
1999 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | University of Florida | Florida Atlantic University |
1998 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Stevens Institute of Technology | University of Florida |
Autonomy Challenge Awards
Design Documentation
Judges Special Awards
Per the Final Rules and Mission, "The fundamental goal of the mission is for an AUV to demonstrate its autonomy by completing an underwater Ides of TRANSDEC mission. The vehicle will be able to commence in training (dock/release buoys), pass over an obstacle course (PVC pipe to pass over), enter the gladiator ring (drop markers), Et tu Brute? (shoot torpedoes through a cutout), feed grapes to the emperor (manipulate a cylinder), and finally collect the Laurel wreath and crown the emperor (find a pinger, grab an object and move/release the object)."
Overall Winners
Video Winners
Technical Design Report Winners
Website Winners
Special Awards
Best New Team: St. Georges ($1000) Most with the Least: Florida Atlantic University ($500) Best technical paper: Kyushu ($500) TSA Award: Embry Riddle ($500) (vehicle was significantly damaged in shipping by the TSA)