| RoboNation Community, We’re excited to share the first look at the evolution of the Maritime RobotX Challenge, a reimagined future that more closely reflects the realities of maritime autonomy today. At the 2024 Challenge, RoboNation and the Office of Naval Research (ONR) celebrated a decade of RobotX; and now, we’re announcing bold changes for the year ahead. As the autonomous systems space has grown, real-world operations have shifted toward multi-vehicle, multi-domain coordination. RobotX is evolving to mirror that reality. RobotX Reimagined Beginning in 2026, RobotX teams will design an integrated system built around: All teams must compete with at least one Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) In addition to the USV, teams must incorporate an Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (UUV) and/or an Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Participation in all three domains is needed to complete the full mission Lower Barriers, More Access Through our partnership with Blue Robotics, RobotX 2026 will include the opportunity for granted platforms, particularly for legacy teams entering the new format. All RoboNation teams will be able to apply for a BlueBoat and/or BlueROV (or stipend equivalent) to jumpstart system development. We are also working toward shipping and travel stipend support to help more universities and student groups participate; especially those new to the competition. By sunsetting the requirement of a standardized platform (the WAM-V*), this new era creates greater flexibility for innovation, lowers the barrier to entry for new teams, and gives returning teams the opportunity to build on their existing autonomous skills across domains. *Due to limitations of our new venue, and updated competition requirements, WAM-V platforms will not be permitted for RobotX 2026. Encouraging Collaboration The 2026 Maritime RobotX Challenge is intentionally structured to encourage cross-program teaming. We strongly encourage existing RobotX, RoboBoat, RoboSub, SUAS teams to partner. For example, a USV-focused team can join with a UUV or UAV team across campuses and borders to mirror real-world collaboration and help share the technical lift. Dates and Location 🗓 Week of November 8, 2026 (Pending Confirmation) 📍 Singapore, Singapore What’s Next In the next week, we will release the RobotX 2026 Competition Primer, which will walk through mission structure, eligibility, platform requirements, and the path to participation. If your organization, institution, or program is interested in getting involved as a participant, mentor, or partner, fill out the intent to compete and stay tuned. We’re just getting started. RobotX is a community of builders, thinkers, and engineers growing alongside technology itself. As we enter this next chapter, we thank our legacy teams, mentors, and advisors who shaped the foundation and continue to push the boundaries each year. The 2026 competition marks the next era. We can’t wait to share more. From, Daryl Davidson & The RoboNation Team |
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