ROBOTX CHALLENGE OVERVIEW

"Volunteers do not necessarily have the TIME; they just have the HEART."

- Elizabeth Andrew

Thank you for volunteering your time and expertise to join us as a judge for the 2026 Maritime RobotX Challenge! Our teams have worked very hard to get here, and you are playing a vital role in their learning experience.

We have developed this guide to assist you in all you need to know to be a RobotX 2026.

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In real-world port, harbor, and coastal operations, no single vehicle operates in isolation. Modern maritime autonomy depends on cross-domain coordination with vessels sensing, responding, and communicating mission data dynamically across a system of systems. The 2026 Maritime RobotX Challenge brings the competition closer to that operational reality. RobotX 2026 expands from optional multi-domain operations to fully integrated, mandatory multi-vehicle autonomy.

RobotX Judging

Thank you for volunteering your time and expertise to join us as a RobotX judge! This guide has been prepared to help you provide thorough evaluation and feedback to the RobotX teams in whichever judge role(s) you are supporting: (1) Pre-Competition Online Judge, (2) Presentation Judge, (3) Assessment Judge, (4) Course Judge, and/or (5) Embedded Judge.

Competition Structure

• Autonomy Challenge demonstrates autonomous performance and safety; and

• Design Documentation presents each team’s work and system design.

Autonomy Challenge

These challenges showcase ASV performance through autonomous behaviors designed to represent research and real-world applications.

More information on the Autonomy Challenge, course/task information and more, can be found in the next lesson: Autonomy Challenge.

Design Documentation

Prior to the on-site competition, teams provide a variety of design documentation. During the competition, teams provide an oral presentation and their System of Systems is assessed by subject matter expert judges.

DELIVERED PRIOR TO ON-SITE COMPETITION

• Team Website

• Technical Design Report

• Team Introduction Video

DELIVERED DURING ON-SITE COMPETITION

• Design Presentation

• System Assessment