Introduction & Table of Contents

Welcome to the International SeaPerch Challenge!

This Team Handbook contains information that teams need to compete at the International SeaPerch Challenge. It includes task descriptions, rules and requirements, and other guidance and specifications. Teams are encouraged to read this document for a thorough understanding of what is necessary to compete effectively.

These instructions apply specifically to participation in the 2025 International SeaPerch Challenge. Please check with your local regional competition coordinator for rules and required submissions related to that event which may differ from the International SeaPerch Challenge.

Why compete in the International SeaPerch Challenge? The annual International SeaPerch Challenge is an invitation-only event open to teams that excel at registered regional competitions and earn a slot to compete in the season’s culminating event.

On land, teams show off their engineering skills through technical papers and presentations. In the pool, they navigate their SeaPerch remotely operated vehicle (ROV) through a series of obstacles inspired by the real world that test maneuverability, control, and utility. Each season has a new theme and a new set of competition tasks, challenging teams to expand on their original vehicle design.

Beyond the friendly rivalry, all competitions bring students together from different schools, states, and countries to form a supportive community.

Why robotics competitions? The goals of the RoboNation student competitions are to provide opportunities for students to experience real-world engineering challenges and to develop the skills needed to solve those challenges. The objective is to produce the people who will push the envelope in the future. Competitors gain an appreciation for the tradeoffs inherent in any system design and the lessons learned in transitioning from a working bench prototype to operating reliably in the real world.