Section 1: Competition Overview
1.1. Dates & Venue
The 2025 International SeaPerch Challenge will be conducted 31 May - 01 June at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland, USA. This will be a 1.5-day event, taking place on Saturday, 31 May in the afternoon and a full day on Sunday, 1 June.
1.2. 2025 Theme
The 2025 theme is Environmental Monitoring: Coral Restoration. Coral reefs provide coastal protection for communities, habitat for fish, and millions of dollars in recreation and tourism, among other benefits. But corals are also severely threatened by rapidly worsening environmental conditions. Efforts to help corals recover include the following activities:
Planting nursery-grown corals back onto reefs.
Making sure habitat is suitable for natural coral growth, including the removal of invasive species.
Building coral resilience to threats like climate change.
1.3. Design Documentation & On-Site Elements
1.3.1. Design Documentation
Technical Design Report (Required)
A Technical Design Report (TDR) succinctly describes your unique SeaPerch ROV and the engineering design process, providing insight into the iterative design process and allowing for data analysis that supports the final ROV design.
Meet the Team (Required)
We want to get to know you! Share your team or school's logo, an overview of what your team is all about, and social media information so we can share it with the SeaPerch community. This is your chance to introduce us to your team and team’s personality.
Real-World Innovation Poster (Optional)
This event challenges teams to explore real-world applications for underwater ROVs. Teams are invited to identify a real-world issue and design a SeaPerch ROV to address the issue. To present their project, teams will create a virtual poster. These posters may include anything from a conceptual design to a full project conducted in the real world.
Community Outreach Project (Optional)
Whether you volunteer your time in your community, or your team finds a way to connect and offer support online, we want to hear about it.
1.3.2. On-Site Elements
Pool Courses (Required)
Obstacle Course: The Obstacle Course tests high-speed maneuverability and requires the SeaPerch ROV to navigate the course as quickly as possible.
Mission Course: The Mission Course incorporates a mission that teams must complete with their SeaPerch ROV related to Deep-Sea Exploration.
On-Site Team Presentations by Invitation (Optional – Not Scored)
Presentations are a great opportunity for teams to share their SeaPerch experience and practice their communication skills. During registration, teams interested in presenting can submit a short abstract that gives a high-level overview of what their presentation would cover.
1.4. Season Schedule/Timeline
Date
Event
September 18 - April 13, 2025
Host Regional Event Period (view list)
January 6 -
February 28, 2025
Wild Card Registration
January 6 –
April 16, 2025
International Challenge Team Registration
All fees and submissions must be collected by April 16.
Week of March 24
Wild Card Invitations
April 16, 2025
International Challenge Cancellation Deadline
May 31 –
June 1, 2025
2025 International SeaPerch Challenge
1.5. Eligibility & Qualification
1.5.1. Age level eligibility
The annual International SeaPerch Challenge is an invitation-only event open to student teams from anywhere in the world that have been awarded a slot by winning at an approved regional competition or by earning a Wild Card space. Elementary School, Middle School, and High School students are eligible to compete.
1.5.2. Qualifying at Regional Competitions
SeaPerch regional competitions are planned, hosted, and executed by local SeaPerch advocates, mentors, and regional coordinators around the world. These events range from local exposition events to approved regional competitions that allocate qualifying spaces for top teams to compete at the annual International SeaPerch Challenge.
Each registered regional competition is allocated a set number of qualifier spaces for their winning teams to attend the International SeaPerch Challenge. Compete and win in one of these events to move on to the international event. Requirements and tasks for regional events vary and may differ from the International SeaPerch Challenge. For specifics about the event closest to you, contact the event host by checking the list of this season's regional competitions.
Competition hosts are required to supply their winning teams’ information to RoboNation no later than three (3) days after their event. Once confirmed by RoboNation, coaches of these winning teams will receive an email with instructions to register their teams. The International Challenge Team Registration will open January 6, 2025, and teams will be required to complete all steps of the registration process by April 16, 2025. For more information, see Section 1.6.
Intent to Host a Regional Competition
Before invitations to the 2025 International SeaPerch Challenge are allotted, regional competition hosts must submit their Intent to Host here by October 25, 2024: 2025 SeaPerch Regional Competitions - Host Application. Invitations to accepted regional qualifiers will be allocated in mid-November and a list of accepted regional competitions can be found on the website. Submission of the Host Application does not guarantee that invitations to the International SeaPerch Challenge will be given.
All regional competitions must be completed by April 13, 2025. All up-to-date information can be found on the SeaPerch Season website.
1.5.3. Qualifying as a Wild Card Team
Teams have the option to apply for a Wild Card invitation to earn a spot to compete at the annual International SeaPerch Challenge. This opportunity is open to any interested teams, including teams who compete in a regional competition. Priority for Wild Card spots will be given to teams who do not have access to a regional competition.
To be considered for a Wild Card invitation, teams may submit a short application that includes a brief overview of their SeaPerch ROV design along with a short statement about what participation at the International Challenge means to them. Application questions should be answered in student team members’ own words. The $10 application fee is non-refundable.
The Wild Card application will open January 6, 2025 and close on February 28, 2025. Teams that have been awarded an invitation will be notified by March 28, 2025. The Wild Card application link can be found on the SeaPerch Season website.
1.6. Team Registration
1.6.1. Competition Classes
The 2025 International SeaPerch Challenge will include three (3) competition classes.
Middle School Stock Class:
Teams include students in 8th grade and below
The total cost of modifications to the final ROV must be $25 or less
Frame built using only PVC, CPVC, PEX pipe and fittings. Any size pipes and pipe fittings may be used. Pipes and pipe fittings may be modified using hand and power tools, but may not be machined using CNC or other automated process.
Must only use simple on/off switches for thruster controls
May use PWM, microcontrollers, or other devices for non-thruster controls
May use a fixed or variable resistor to reduce voltage
High School Stock Class:
Teams include students in 9th grade and above
The total cost of modifications to the final ROV must be $25 or less
Frame built using only PVC, CPVC, PEX pipe and fittings. Any size pipes and pipe fittings may be used. Pipes and pipe fittings may be modified using hand and power tools, but may not be machined using CNC or other automated process.
Must only use simple on/off switches for thruster controls
May use PWM, microcontrollers, or other devices for non-thruster controls
May use a fixed or variable resistor to reduce voltage
Open Class:
The cost of modifications may exceed $25
Frame may include 3D printed or additive manufactured parts as well as other materials, and may be made using CNC machinery or other automated process.
May include more than 3 thrusters (i.e., motor and propeller assembly)
May use power conditioning or pulse-width modulation (PWM) controls for thruster controls
1.6.2. Registration Components
All teams who receive an invitation to compete at the 2025 International SeaPerch Challenge will be required to register by April 16, 2025. Registration will open January 6, 2025. Please refer to Appendix A: Registration Template for 2025 International SeaPerch Challenge to review the information that is needed to complete the registration process. Teams are encouraged to start registration as soon as possible after receiving instructions as it is a multi-step process; the registration deadline of April 16, 2025 is firm. Note that each team must register and bring a unique chaperone. A single chaperone cannot bring multiple teams to the International SeaPerch Challenge.
APRIL REGIONALS: Teams competing in regional competitions that are held in April will have a shortened timeframe to complete registration to attend the 2025 International SeaPerch Challenge. There will be no deadline extensions due to event and evaluation timelines.
1.6.3. Registration Fees
To complete the International SeaPerch Challenge registration, teams must pay the registration fees and register each competitor. Teams are limited to 12 students and 4 chaperones.
ROV Registration Fee: $225 USD per team
Individual Registration Fee: $75 USD per team member/chaperone
1.7. Spectator Tickets
Spectator tickets will be required to access team village, pool competition viewing areas, and presentation rooms. Spectators will not have access to the pool deck. Children 13 and under have free admission, with the required spectator ticket to attend. Spectator registration will open early in 2025.
1.8. Communications
1.8.1. 2025 International SeaPerch Challenge Website
The official competition website is the 2025 SeaPerch Season. This website includes all official documents and a detailed list of the registered Challenge teams. Helpful resources, past competition results, and other engagement opportunities can be found on this website. Information and documents are updated regularly, and it is the team’s responsibility to check the website for updates.
1.8.2 Points of Contact
Competition / Technical Questions
Registration Questions
Event / Safety Questions
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