Teams are required to create a video introducing their team members and highlighting their team personality. This video is meant to be a creative showcase of what makes each team unique, such as the mission of the team or the team culture. Teams should consider this video as an “elevator pitch” or project proposal for an opportunity to earn additional funding or support.

2.3.1 Deliverable Requirements

• Video must be conducted in English or include subtitles in English.

• Video must be no more than three (3) minutes in length.

• Video may include graphics, vehicle performance, and/or simulation.

• Videos must be hosted by team. Teams have the choice of hosting on YouTube, Vimeo, or on their Team Website. The video must follow YouTube Rules & Policies, including appropriate music copyright management.

2.3.2 Scoring Metrics

The team video submission is worth a total of 120 points. The scoring metrics include a scoring weight with guidance for scoring considerations that are provided to the judges during evaluations.

Formatting (10% of score)

Video Quality (20% of score)

Information Organization (25% of score)

Clear and Effective Communication (25% of score)

Creativity (20% of score)

Judges inspect the team’s ASV and assess technical design, technical innovation, and craftsmanship of the design. Teams receive an assigned 30-minute slot. After the assessment, teams should make themselves available for a team photo and optional video interview. Please find the latest assessment schedule here: roboboat.org/2025.

2.5.1 Deliverable Requirements

Team members should be present to answer technical questions posed by the judges during this inspection and be prepared to explain their design strategy and how decisions made impacts on the technical design, functionality, and craftsmanship.

2.5.2 Scoring Metrics

The system assessment is worth a total of 180 points. The scoring metrics include a scoring weight with guidance for scoring considerations that are provided to the judges during evaluations.

Technical Design (45% of score)

Innovation (30% of score)

Craftsmanship (25% of score)

1.1 Dates & Venue

The 2025 RoboBoat Competition (RoboBoat 2025) will be conducted March 4-9, 2025, at the Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Florida. Multiple courses will be used for the competition.

1.2 Competition Structure

RoboBoat 2025 includes (1) the Autonomy Challenge that demonstrates autonomous performance and safety; and (2) Design Documentation that presents each team’s work and vehicle design.

1.3 Eligibility

Student teams from anywhere in the world are eligible to participate. All teams must build an ASV to compete and only enter one vehicle in the competition. *

*First-year teams are eligible to participate in RoboBoat without an ASV. These teams are expected to participate in Design Documentation and send representatives on-site at the event as a learning experience. First-year teams are expected to indicate this option in their registration form.

1.3.1 Eligibility Details & Team Composition

• Teams must be comprised of 75% or more full-time students. Student members are expected to make significant contributions to the engineering development cycle of their ASV.

• The majority of team members must be college or high school students. Teams may also include middle school students. Interdisciplinary teams are encouraged.

• Teams may be comprised of 25% or less alumni, industry, academic or government partners.

• A minimum of three (3) team members are required for safe operations on-site at RoboBoat.

1.4 Competition Schedule and Timeline

The event schedule is also available on the RoboBoat website.

1.4.1 Daily Team Meeting

Each competition day starts and ends with a mandatory team meeting for all teams, conducted by the Technical Director. Team leads (or their designated team representative) are required to attend all meetings. All participants are strongly encouraged to attend.

The Technical Director summarizes the day’s events, describes any course changes for the following day, and teams are encouraged to provide feedback.

1.5 Points of Contact

1.6 RoboNation Code of Conduct

All team members must abide by the RoboNation Code of Conduct while participating in the Competition. Failure to abide by this Code of Conduct at any point during the competition season may result in the disqualification of the team and/or participants from the Competition, components of the competition, the full competition, and/or future competitions.

1. Give your best effort. Display honesty, integrity, and sportsmanship while engaging in friendly competition. Compete fairly. Team products are solely the creation of student participants’ own efforts, ideas, and designs with supporting mentors providing only verbal advice.

2. Respect others. All participants and guests will display courtesy and respect toward officials, volunteers, other teams, and guests of the Competition.

3. Act with integrity. All participants and guests will behave in a responsible manner and follow the rules of the competition and host organization.

4. Support each other. All participants will embody the spirit of RoboNation and endeavor to engage with, learn from, and support one another.

Prior to the on-site competition, teams are required to develop and submit (1) technical design report, (2) team website, and (3) team introduction video. On-site at the competition, teams are required to conduct (1) an oral design strategy presentation and (2) system assessment by subject matter expert judges.

Delivered Online Before On-Site Competition

The following design documentation is delivered online before the on-site competition. Instructions on how to submit deliverables and the deadlines can be found in Section 1.4 Competition Schedule and Timeline. Teams are encouraged to refer to the past top-scored deliverables: roboboat.org/past-programs.

• 2.1 Technical Design Report

• 2.2 Team Website

• 2.3 Team Introduction Video

Delivered On-Site During Competition

The following design documentation is delivered on-site during the competition.

• 2.4 Design Strategy Presentation

• 2.5 System Assessment

Teams are required to submit a website in English that documents their team, vehicle design, and competition approach.

2.2.1 Deliverable Requirements

1. Website Content: Layout and detailed contents of the website are left for the teams to develop; however, the team website must include:

   • Current team name and contact information

   • Vehicle photos and/or videos

   • Supporting media, which may include:

     • Instructional/Informative videos

     • Procedures (text, images)

     • Design decision documentation (text, images, videos)

     • Blogs for historical records of build progress

   • List of sponsors with logos

2. Website Quality: Websites are often the first impression of a project. Potential supporters such as supervisors, sponsors, or advisors must find the website visually appealing and easy to navigate. Development of the website should include careful consideration of user experience, including:

   • Written in English, or English translation provided

   • Clear prioritization of key content

   • Site search functionality

   • Basic design elements: contrast, repetition, alignment and grouping to organize/highlight content

   • User accessibility, as defined by the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative: www.w3.org/WAI

   • Cross browser compatibility for modern web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, MS Edge)

   • A mobile friendly display

2.2.2 Scoring Metrics

The website submission is worth a total of 180 points. The scoring metrics include a scoring weight with guidance for scoring considerations that are provided to the judges during evaluations.

Team Information (20% of score)

Vehicle Design Documentation (40% of score)

Website Quality (40% of score)

Teams are required to give a design strategy presentation to a panel of subject matter expert judges. The goal of the presentation is to share the team’s system design approach to the challenges presented in the Autonomy Challenge, specifically the capabilities required for each task. The presentation should include:

• a concise description of the team's strategic vision, and

• how the vehicle design compliments the team’s goals.

2.4.1 Deliverable Requirements

This presentation must be conducted in English and may include visual aids (i.e. digital slides, poster board). If digital slides are used, teams must provide their own computer and adapters for an HDMI connecter to use the presentation display monitor. Teams receive an assigned 30-minute presentation time. Please find the latest presentation schedule here: roboboat.org/2025. This presentation includes:

• Team introduction video - 3 minutes

• Team presentation – 20 minutes

• Judges’ question and answer – 5 minutes

2.4.2 Scoring Metrics

The design strategy presentation is worth a total of 180 points. The scoring metrics include a scoring weight with guidance for scoring considerations that are provided to the judges during evaluations.

Competition Strategy (30% of score)

Design Rationale (30% of score)

Effective Communication & Professionalism (20% of score)

Judge Questions & Dialogue (20% of score)

Each team is required to submit a TDR that describes the team’s design principles and competition priorities. The report should address the rationale for which autonomy challenge tasks have been chosen to attempt and how this competition strategy influenced the design decisions for the hull, propulsion system, control systems, and autonomy system. Teams must follow the TDR instructions provided below. To be eligible for full points, teams must submit their TDR by the deadline found in Section 1.4.

A strong TDR provides a coherent narrative and addresses the elements of the rubric as much as possible, including citing references used. The competition strategy justifies the choices of autonomy challenge tasks and design decisions that trace back to those task choices. The report also identifies which software tools allow the team to accomplish the tasks chosen.

The technical design report is worth a total of 200 points. The outline of each content section includes a scoring weight with guidance for scoring considerations that are provided to the judges during evaluations.

2.1.1 Deliverable Requirements

The content of the written paper shall include the following sections:

• Abstract

• Acknowledgements

• References

• Technical Content: Competition Strategy, Design Strategy, Testing Strategy

• Appendix A: Test Plan & Results (optional)

The format of the written paper shall adhere to the following guidelines:

• 6 page limit (excluding References and Appendices)

• 8.5 x 11 in. page size

• Margins ≥ 0.8 in.

• Font: Times New Roman 12pt

• Header on every page including team name and page number

• Submitted in .pdf format

Optional Formatting: Teams may choose to follow the two-column format, editorial style for IEEE Conference Proceedings: www.ieee.org/conferences/publishing/templates.html.

Formatting Scoring Metrics (5% of score)

2.1.2 Abstract

The abstract is a short summary of the main points in the paper. The abstract should summarize the linkage between overall competition strategy and system architecture, design, and engineering decisions.

Abstract Scoring Metrics (10% of score)

2.1.3 Acknowledgements

Participating in the competition, as in all research projects, involves leveraging resources and support beyond the efforts of individual team members. This support can take many forms such as technical advice, labor, equipment, facilities, and monetary contributions. Acknowledging those who have supported efforts is important.

Acknowledgements Scoring Metrics (5% of score)

2.1.4 References

As with any technical publication, original ideas and content not generated by the paper’s authors should be properly cited. The references should follow the IEEE Conference Proceedings citation style.

References Scoring Metrics (5% of score)

2.1.5 Competition Strategy

The paper must include details on the team’s strategy for the competition, including the plans for approaching the course and how the vehicle design relates to this approach. The course consists of multiple tasks with associated points for accomplished behaviors. The only required task is navigating through the start gates. Teams may choose to attempt the other tasks and complete the tasks in any order. The more tasks a vehicle is designed and engineered to accomplish, the more complex the overall vehicle system will be.

Discuss the team's strategy on trade-offs between system complexity and reliability. For example, teams have a limited number of working hours to prepare for the competition; this time could be spent adding additional capabilities or testing and improving the reliability of an existing capability. As system complexity grows, changes in subsystems can propagate in unmanageable ways when time is limited. Based on history and the system engineering talents of the team, include a description the team’s strategic vision.

Competition Strategy Scoring Metrics (25% of score)

2.1.6 Design Strategy

Given the strategy for success at the competition and the approach to managing complexity, the paper must include a description of the system design to meet the goals they established for the competition. Justification for design choices should be clear. Discuss how components and subsystems were selected and integrated on the vehicle. For teams that are working with a previously designed vehicle, discuss how the design meets the current competition strategy and any modifications needed at the component, subsystem, and/or integrated system levels. Describe the experience in making both architectural/design decisions and system engineering decisions.

This section should not include detailed component descriptions and/or specifications not of original design.

Design Strategy Scoring Metrics (25% of score)

2.1.7 Testing Strategy

Testing and experimentation is a crucial step to preparing and innovating a system design that strongly correlates with a competitive performance in the arena. The paper must include the approach to a testing strategy, including various test plans, both physically and in simulation.

Discuss considerations of the time needed to thoroughly test to meet the determined goals and the demands of design and engineering with those of testing and experimentation.

Testing Strategy Scoring Metrics (25% of score)

2.1.8 Test Plan & Results (Optional Appendix)

Based off the testing approach outlined in the paper, this appendix showcases the test plan that was developed and the detailed results that came out of testing. Teams should present their plans for testing, including algorithm testing in a virtual environment, component testing in a laboratory setting, subsystem testing in a relevant environment, and full system testing in a pseudo-competition environment. Test set up should be included and results presented. Any design modifications or changes in competition strategy as a result of testing should be discussed.

While this appendix is not required, excellence seen in this section can be eligible for a special judges’ award.

The appendix may include detailed documentation covering the following areas:

• Scope: Objectives and test cases (this may also specify what was not included in tests)

• Schedule: Start/end dates and deadlines

• Resource and Tools: Resources and tools needed to conduct tests and assess results

• Environment: Description of the test environment, configurations, and availability

• Risk Management: Outline potential risks that could occur throughout testing

• Results: Detailed outcomes of test cases

3.1.1 Vehicle Transit

Teams must provide a cart to move the vehicle around the competition site and launch the vehicle into the water.

• Cart must be manually propelled on site, no motorized carts.

• Cart's handle must be solid, no rope or chain.

• Cart’s width must be less than thirty-six (36) inches.

• Carts are recommended to have six (6) inch (or more) diameter rubberized wheels.

• Carts must be able to get wet with minimal impact to function.

• Carts must be negatively buoyant in the water.

Suggested carts: garden cart, available at homedepot.com; or dump cart, available at homedepot.com.

3.1.2 Static Safety Inspection

Prior to deploying in the water, the ASV must meet all safety requirements. At a minimum, the following areas are checked:

• Emergency Stop System (location of switches, on-board and remote functionality)

• Demonstration of remote Emergency Stop failsafe functionality by removing the batteries or turning off the remote Emergency Stop transmitter.

• Safety issues related to a propeller or hazard

• All components are properly secured

• Towing points and tow harness is present and secure

More details on system requirements are available in Section 5.3: Vehicle Requirements.

3.1.3 Weight and Thrust Measurements

Vehicles are weighed at the start of every day of the competition. Teams transport the vehicle on their cart to the scale (similar to a veterinary scale, available at scaleline.com) for weight measurement. The stable scale reading weight is recorded. Thrust is measured after the vehicle is deployed in the water either in manual or autonomous mode. The thrust value used is the highest scale reading that is stable for at least two seconds. Teams may opt to repeat their thrust measurement at each deployment.

During Finals runs, the vehicle must be re-weighed, and re-thrust tested every time it is launched into the water. If the vehicle stays in the water between finals runs, teams may forgo the weight and thrust test a second time. However, if a team is observed to be switching significant components or making modifications on their boat, the judges or TD staff may ask for a new measurement.

Weight and Thrust Scoresheet

This section provides details of the tasks in the Autonomy Challenge. Teams are encouraged to develop a strategy approaching these tasks that best suits their ASV.

Environmental Monitoring: Guardians of the Waters

In a world where our waters are under siege... Pollution spreads, marine life suffers, and climate change threatens to upend the delicate balance of Earth’s oceans. But when the planet’s future hangs in the balance, a new breed of heroes emerge - not from outer space, but from the vastness of the ocean.

Meet the Guardians of the Waters, a team of ASVs, armed with powerful autonomy and a cutting-edge mission to protect our blue planet.

3.2.1 Task 1 - Navigation Channel

The Navigation Channel task is a navigation demonstration showcasing the basic autonomous control and sensing capabilities. The ASV must autonomously navigate through two pairs of red and green buoys. The entire ASV must pass through both sets of the gates, without touching the buoys. The ASV must start its autonomous navigation a minimum of 6 ft. before the first set of gates.

During the Semi-Finals/Finals Round: This task is mandatory for all teams to qualify for semi-finals and is required to be completed first during each scored run.

NOTE The position and orientation of this task with respect to the shoreline may change during the competition and teams should be able to handle navigating their ASV to the starting position and holding station with little to no line of site from the shore.

Task Elements

Buoys are supplied from Taylor Made, www.taylormadeproducts.com.

3.2.2 Task 2 - Mapping Migration Patterns (Follow the Path)

The Follow the Path task demonstrates the ability for the ASV to sense and maneuver through a complex path, staying within the defined pathway, and avoiding contact with obstacles along the way. The task consists of multiple sets of gates designated by pairs of red and green buoys. The ASV passes between the sets of gates without touching the buoys and avoids intermittent endangered species (yellow buoys) and stationary vessels, placed within the pathway.

While maneuvering the pathway, the ASV counts the number of endangered species (yellow buoys) and reports its findings, using the defined guidelines in Section 3.2.7: Task Reporting Guidelines.

Task Elements

Buoys are supplied from Polyform US, shop.polyform.com.

3.2.3 Task 3 - Treacherous Waters (Docking)

To navigate treacherous waters, the ASV demonstrates the ability to correctly sense, locate and maneuver into an empty docking bay that corresponds with the correct color/shape of the day. A number of docking bays will be occupied by other stationary vessels. If the ASV encounters an occupied docking bay with the correct color/shape, the ASV then must avoid that bay and look for another with the correct color/shape that is empty and available for docking. The ASV may make contact with the dock and will not be penalized, however an ASV that makes contact with a stationary vessel occupying a bay will not be eligible for full points awarded for this task.

The docking bays could have banners with any of the following:

• Shapes – circle, triangle, square, plus sign

• Colors – blue, green, red

Task Elements

Dock units are supplied from Jet Docks, www.jetdock.com.

3.2.4 Task 4 - Race Against Pollution (Speed Challenge)

The ASV demonstrates the ability to rapidly sense the task elements with object recognition and decision making. This task demonstrates hull form efficiency coupled with its propulsion system, and the resulting maneuverability.

The ASV enters and station-keeps inside a holding bay and observes the light panel. The light panel will change from red to green after a random interval, starting the race clock and indicating to the ASV to quickly pass through the gate buoys. The ASV enters through gate buoys, circumnavigates around the blue marker buoy (counterclockwise or clockwise), and exits back through the same gate buoys. The gate buoys are moored 6 to 10 ft apart, and the marker buoy is placed 40 to 100 ft, from the gate buoys. This is a timed task. Time starts when the light panel turns green and stops when the bow (front) of the ASV crosses the first set of gate buoys.

The ASV completes the task without coming into contact with intermittent oil spills (black buoys) and stationary vessels, positioned anywhere within the task. The ASV detects the number of oil spills (black buoys) and reports its findings, using the defined guidelines in Section 3.2.7: Task Reporting Guidelines.

Task Elements

Buoys are supplied from Polyform US, shop.polyform.com.

3.2.5 Task 5 - Rescue Deliveries (Object and Water Delivery)

The ASV demonstrates the ability to locate stationary vessels throughout the course and deliver necessary resources to the vessel. Up to three orange vessels and up to three black vessels will be positioned throughout the course.

Orange Vessels - Water Delivery

The ASV locates the orange boats with a black triangle shape fixed to both sides of the vessel. The ASV delivers/shoots water at the black triangle shape. The ASV should should strike (with a steady and visible stream of water) the black triangle shape for at least 3 seconds. Performance of the ASV's ability to correctly and intentionally aim water at the target will be evaluated and scored by the judges observing the scoring run.

Black Vessels - Object Delivery

The ASV locates the black vessels with a black plus shape fixed to both sides of the vessel. The ASV delivers a racquetball to the vessel, either striking the plus sign or inside of the vessel hull; or simply dropping the ball into the hull of the vessel is acceptable. Teams will not be penalized if the ball does not stay in the stationary vessel after successfully hitting the plus sign or inside of the hull. The ASV can be pre-loaded with up to three racquetballs before each scoring run.

Task Elements

3.2.6 Task 6 - Return to Home

The Return to Home task demonstrates the ability for the ASV to navigate back to the launch point while avoiding interaction with any obstacles. The ASV returns through the gate created with two black buoys in autonomous mode after attempting Autonomy Challenge tasks. The ASV avoids all obstacles and task equipment (buoys, floating docks, etc.) on the way back. The time bonus will be awarded based on the number of seconds remaining on the timeslot clock and overall points earned during run.

Task Elements

Buoys are supplied from Polyform US, shop.polyform.com.

3.2.7 Task Reporting Guidelines

For the tasks with reporting aspects (Task 2 and Task 4) the ASV may choose to report information to the judges one of two ways:

• Method 1: The ASV may perform a maneuver consisting of driving in circles or rotating (in Yaw) in place, where every 360 degrees of rotation signifies one object detected.

• Method 2: The number of identified objects may visually be reported on the ASV’s operator control system or computer provided by the teams. The teams must notify a judge to be ready to observe the report at the end of the task. This visual display must be clear to read, with the number display font size no less than 0.5” tall and persist on screen without intervention for at least 30 seconds.

Either method must be completed before the ASV moves away from the task being reported on. Any report made before the ASV has entered the task will not be considered for points.

Welcome to the frontlines of innovation at the 2025 RoboBoat Competition!

This Team Handbook contains information that teams need to compete at the 2025 RoboBoat Competition. It includes task descriptions, rules, requirements, and other guidance and specifications. Teams are encouraged to read this document for a thorough understanding of what is necessary to compete effectively.

What is RoboBoat?

RoboBoat is an international student program established to generate, cultivate, and enhance a community of innovators capable of making substantive contributions to the Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) domain. The vision is achieved by providing a venue and mechanism, whereby practitioners of robotics and maritime autonomy come together at RoboBoat to share knowledge, innovate, and collaboratively advance the technology of ASV systems. Teams must also document their designs as described in this Team Handbook.

Why RoboBoat?

The objective of RoboBoat is to build an international community of innovators – ranging from high school to higher education, capable of making substantive contributions to the maritime field and pushing development of small-scale (X-Class) ASV. The competition has been held annually since 2008.

Why compete in RoboBoat?

Participants of RoboBoat may expect to:

• Increase technical proficiency;

• Establish valuable professional connections; and

• Enjoy the satisfaction of learning and collaborating while advancing the technology of ASV systems.

The nominal winners are those teams that have scored the most points. The real winners are all those participants who have learned something lasting about working together to create an autonomous system that accomplished a challenging mission in a complex environment.

Maritime autonomous technology is critical to monitoring and healing our oceans. Developing the human resource to expand this effort is even more essential.

Table of Contents

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

3.1 Mandatory Activities

3.2 Task Descriptions

3.3 Qualifying Round

3.4 Semi-Finals/Finals Round

Three Qualifying and Practice Courses are available for teams to practice, demonstrate proficiency, and qualify for the Semi-Finals Round. These courses consist of all six (6) tasks. Multiple teams may be on a Qualifying and Practice Course at the same time. Teams may schedule times to practice or complete individual tasks on these courses with the Technical Director. Teams may attempt completion on individual tasks in any order.

The minimum success criteria for qualifying on the individual tasks will be included in the next version of the Team Handbook.

Scores are calculated by the judges' evaluation and observation. All decisions of the judges are final.

4.1 Design Documentation Scoring

Design documentation must be submitted in accordance with the requirements outlined in and the deadlines listed in , to be eligible for full points. After the competition, the judges will issue overall standings in the design documentation portion of the competition.

The design documentation scoring breakdown is summarized in the table below.

4.2 Autonomy Challenge Scoring

The Autonomy Challenge occurs in three rounds: Qualifying Round, Semi-Finals, and Finals. For the Qualifying Round minimum performance criteria is specified and no points are awarded. Qualifying Round and task completion criteria will be shared in the next version of the Team Handbook.

For the Semi-Final and Final Rounds points are awarded, as outlined in this section. Upon completion of the Semi-Finals Round, the judges will announce the top-scoring teams who will progress to the Finals Round. The judges have the discretion to select the number of teams advancing to the Finals Round.

After the competition, the judges will issue Autonomy Challenge overall standings. Any team accepted into the Finals Round will be ranked ahead of all teams that did not participate in the Finals Round.

A full scoring breakdown will be shared in the next version of the Team Handbook.

4.3 Awards

Awards are provided in three categories: Autonomy Challenge standings, Design Documentation standings, and Special Awards. Teams must be present to collect their awards, and award money will be issued within 4-6 weeks after the competition.

4.3.1 Autonomy Challenge Ranking

Teams are awarded prize money reflective of their autonomy challenge ranking after scores are calculated. The first-place teams receive a RoboNation champion banner.

4.3.2 Design Documentation Ranking

Teams are awarded prize money reflective of their design documentation ranking after scores are calculated.

4.3.3 Special Awards

Throughout the competition, teams, judges, and staff are asked to be on the lookout for exemplary behavior from teams to acknowledge with special awards. A digital nomination form will be shared on-site to nominate teams for special awards.

5.1 Rules

5.2 Safety

5.3 Vehicle Requirements

5.4 Obstacle Avoidance

Teams that qualify will have access to the Semi-Finals Course once one becomes available. These courses consist of six (6) tasks: the mandatory navigation channel and tasks 2-6. Only one team may be on a Semi-Finals/Finals Course at a time. Note that teams may not know what course they are assigned until right before the start of their time slot.

During a Semi-Finals/Finals run the ASV must:

• operate autonomously throughout the entire run; no remote-controlled survey runs allowed and teams must navigate directly back to the starting position with no deviations when resetting for another run.

• enter the course through the gates in the Navigation Channel task.

• attempt the remaining Tasks 2-5 of their choice, in any order.

• return to home (Task 6) at the end of the run.

The scoring criteria for Semi-Finals and Finals are detailed in Section 4: Scoring.

Safe operations are a priority for the RoboBoat staff. All considerations to maintain safety for operators and the surrounding environment must be made. These guidelines are the minimum requirements for all teams and their vehicles during the competition.

1. All Radio Frequency (RF) equipment must be operated within the rules and regulations of the host country. This includes, but is not limited to, frequency, transmitting power, antenna height, etc.

2. ASV power systems must follow the safety rules and regulations of the host country as well as the team’s home country.

3. RoboBoat staff may suspend team operations at any time for safety considerations. The staff is not required to advise the team prior to the decision to terminate the run attempt. In all matters of safety, the decisions of the RoboBoat staff are final.

5.2.1 Safety Inspections

Before operating in the water, all systems must pass a safety inspection. This includes, but is not limited to:

1. A Safety Inspector completes a safety checklist, verifying successful operation of all safety features at each unmanned system launch.

2. Teams demonstrate compliance with all the requirements, to include identifying all actuators, and moving parts and their associated protection mechanisms (shrouds, etc.).

3. Verification of both kill switches’ operation (remote and physical). This is repeated each time a team enters the water.

Safety Checklist

• Demonstrate On-board Kill Switch

• Demonstrate Remote Kill Switch

• Vehicle killed when transmitter loses link?

• Verify tele-operation link (remote control)

• Vehicle have forward and/or aft tow line?

• Any safety issues related to the propellers?

• Any potentially dangerous protrusions?

• Is everything properly secured to the system?

• Is system properly protected from rain? (recommended)

5.2.2 Battery Safety Requirements

Teams are required to understand and follow battery safety best practices on the battery chemistry selected by the team. Lithium-ion chemistry batteries may become damaged and create a hazard if misused/abused, representing the greatest risk to people, facilities, and the environment. The following safety rules and requirements must be followed:

1. Teams will be required to attend a mandatory battery safety briefing prior to the start of the competition.

2. Teams must submit battery specifications, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), and proper disposal procedures, sourced from the battery manufacturer for all batteries.

3. Teams must keep a hard copy of the battery safety documentation for all batteries in Team Village (onsite) at all times, for reference.

4. Teams must bring a LiPo safe bag(s) adequate for the lithium batteries used. LiPo bag(s) must be available at the competition and the hotel.

5. Li-Po (Lithium Polymer) battery packs need cell level safety and balancing circuits.

6. Batteries must be shipped according to required shipping regulations based on battery weight/type. Note that most batteries are considered HAZMAT and must be shipped using HAZMAT regulations.

7. Each team must understand and follow their own country’s regulations as well as those of the host nation.

8. All batteries must be stored, used, and maintained in accordance with manufacturer guidelines.

9. Teams are required to inspect their batteries daily for signs of swelling, heat, leaking, venting, burning or any other irregularities.

   1. Lithium batteries that become too warm during use or have become swollen or malformed must be removed from use and reported to the Technical Director.

   2. Lithium batteries that do not hold a charge must be removed from use and reported to the Technical Director.

10. A team member must be present at all times to monitor charging batteries.

11. At the competition site, if any of the above battery conditions are observed, students must immediately notify the Technical Director or RoboBoat staff and provide the battery specifications and safety information.

12. At the hotel, if a battery irregularity occurs at any time, students must notify RoboNation’s Senior Events Manager, Cheri Koch immediately by phone at 850.642.0536 and provide the battery specifications and safety information.

13. Failed or failing Lithium-ion batteries must be handled in accordance with manufacturer’s safety and disposal guidelines. In the absence of specific guidelines, batteries must be placed in a LiPo safe bag, which must then be placed in a bucket, covered with sand, and placed in a designated safety zone.

14. Teams cannot change or replace batteries when ASV is in the water or while standing on floating docks.

5.2.3 Kill Switch (Emergency Stop) Requirements

The ASV must comply with the kill switch requirements detailed below. The ASV must have two emergency stop systems, also known as ‘kill switches’ or ‘E-Stops’.

• On-Board: A hard-wired, on-board, emergency stop system.

• Off-Board: A wireless remote emergency stop, located off-board and on its own frequency and link.

Both systems must operate in a failsafe fashion (if any part of the system fails, the battery dies or is removed, the system must enter emergency stop) and upon activation of either system (on-board or off-board), the switch must instantaneously disconnect power from the vehicle’s thruster units. An example of how to implement this is shown in Figure 11. System should be designed such that power, to the thrusters, cannot be restored until the emergency switch is reset.

The Technical team will conduct a detailed engineering and safety inspection including a team demonstration of the proper operation of all emergency systems. This includes the removal of the remote kill switch battery to prove it fails safe. Teams must be prepared to discuss the design and implementation of their fail-safe systems in detail.

Onboard Emergency Stop System

All ASVs must have an onboard emergency stop capable of being actuated by personnel from a support craft. For personnel safety, the switch may be triggered from a distance by a wooden or plastic pole/paddle. Keeping this in mind, teams should select rugged and reliable components for their safety system.

Emergency Stop Button

Wireless Emergency Stop

All ASVs must be equipped with a portable, handheld, Wireless Emergency Stop controller. This controller must immediately (less than 2 seconds) disconnect power to the vehicle’s thruster units when activated or when power/battery is removed from the transmitter. This system must also meet the host country RF guidelines for frequency and transmit power.

The ability to avoid obstacles is a core capability for unmanned systems. Each buoy on the course represents an object to be avoided or approached in some way. In addition, obstacle buoys may be placed throughout the operating areas in an effort to provide a more representative real-world challenge.

1. All team members must abide by the RoboNation Code of Conduct while participating in the Competition. Failure to abide by this Code of Conduct at any point during the competition season may result in the disqualification of the team and/or participants from the Competition, components of the competition, the full competition, and/or future competitions.

2. Teams must build an ASV to compete and only enter one vehicle in the competition.

3. Teams that arrive at the competition failing to meet the vehicle requirements will not be permitted on the course, until the vehicle is modified to meet all requirements.

4. Teams must be comprised of 75% or more full-time students. ()

5. First-year teams are eligible to participate in RoboBoat without an ASV. These teams are expected to participate in Design Documentation and send representation on-site at the event as a learning experience. First-year teams must indicate this option in their registration form.

6. One student member of the team must be designated as the “team lead”. The team lead must be conversationally fluent in English. The team lead, and only the team lead, will speak for the team during the competition runs.

7. Teams must have at least one representative present for the team orientation. Teams who miss orientation will not be permitted to deploy their ASV.

8. Team leads are required to attend daily team meetings conducted by the Technical Director.

9. Teams must have at least one representative present onsite at the competition venue during the competition hours (8:00 am – 5:30 pm) to be eligible for prizes. If teams cannot be onsite, they must notify RoboNation staff in a timely manner.

10. Before operating in the water, all systems must pass a safety inspection. ()

11. During any Semi-Finals or Finals run the ASV and OCU computers must not connect or be open to connections from any source of communication from the internet or anywhere onsite other than equipment stationed in the course operating tents.

12. No combustion engines of any type may be used on the ASV.

13. Course boundaries are clearly identified. The ASV must stay within the course or task boundaries while attempting any tasks.

14. An Autonomy Challenge run will be terminated if the ASV interferes with course elements or crosses through a different course. This includes entangling, dragging, pushing, or damaging course elements or landscape.

15. All decisions of the judges are final. ()

16. RoboBoat organizers are not responsible for any damage to a team’s ASV as a consequence of participating in the competition.

The following is a list of minimal requirements for a vehicle to be permitted access to a course. Teams that arrive at the competition failing to meet the vehicle requirements will not be permitted on the course, until the vehicle is modified to meet all requirements.

• Autonomy: Vehicle shall be fully autonomous and shall have all autonomy decisions made onboard the ASV.

• Buoyancy: The vehicle shall be positively buoyant.

• Communication: The vehicle cannot send or receive any control information while in autonomous mode (to and from Operators Control Station).

• Towable: The vehicle must have a multi-point tow harness installed at all times to allow staff to attach a rope and tow the vehicle through the water. Underslung harnesses will NOT be permitted.

• Energy source: The vehicle must be battery powered. All batteries must be sealed to reduce the hazard from acid or caustic electrolytes. The open circuit voltage of any battery (or battery system) may not exceed 60Vdc.

• Kill Switch: The vehicle must have at least one 1.5 inch diameter red button located on the vehicle that, when actuated, must instantaneously disconnect power from all motors and actuators. ()

• Wireless Kill Switch: In addition to the physical kill-switch, the vehicle must have at least one remote kill switch that, when actuated, must instantaneously disconnect power from all motors and actuators. If the remote kill switch system is powered off or battery removed, vehicle must default to a state in which power is disconnected from all motors and actuators. ()

• Propulsion: Any propulsion system may be used (thruster, paddle, etc.). However, all moving parts must have protection. For instance, a propeller must be shrouded.

• Remote-controllable: The vehicle must be remote-controllable (tele-operated) to be brought back to the dock. If the remote controller is turned off (or power is interrupted), vehicle must default to a state in which all motors and actuators are automatically commanded to 0% thrust or an off state. Driving the vehicle through a laptop is STRONGLY discouraged.

• Safety: All sharp, pointy, moving or sensitive parts must be covered and marked.

• Size: The vehicle must fit within a six feet, by three feet, by three feet "box". (Any extensions from the hull can exceed these dimensions during a run.)

• Surface: The vehicle must float or use ground effect of the water. Mostly submerged/flying vehicles are forbidden for use as primary autonomous platform.

• Weight: The entire maritime system shall weigh less than 140 lbs.

All teams are required to register to compete using the Registration form found on the RoboBoat website, . This registration collects each team’s point of contact information, demographics, and the Pre-Competition Requirements outlined in and .

6.1.1 Registration Fees

To complete the RoboBoat 2025 registration, teams must pay the registration fee of $1,000 USD.

6.1.2 Cancellation and Refund Policy

To cancel a registration, teams must complete the . Cancellation requests submitted via email will not be accepted. Click here to review the cancellation and refund policy: .

6.1.3 First-Year Teams

First-year teams are eligible to participate in RoboBoat without an ASV. These teams are expected to participate in Design Documentation and send representation on-site at the event as a learning experience. First-year teams are expected to indicate this option in their registration form.

6.4.1 Travel + Lodging

Teams are responsible for coordinating their own lodging and travel plans.

Lodging—Event Hotel

RoboNation has contracted with a local hotel to provide a special rate for RoboBoat teams. Teams are responsible for booking their own lodging for the event. More information to be released at a later date.

Travel Considerations

VISA Process – It is recommended for international students to acquire a B-1 Visitor VISA to attend the competition. However, if the student has plans for any other activities besides the competition, they may choose to investigate other types of visas. Explore the different types of visas: .

Invitation Letter – Once a team is officially registered and the registration fee is paid, they are eligible to request invitation letters. During the , each team member are given the opportunity to request an invitation letter issued by RoboNation. Contact with any questions.

6.4.2 Shipping

Teams are responsible for coordinating the necessary shipping to ensure arrival of vehicle and equipment. Any shipping questions can be directed to Cheri Koch at / 850.642.0536. More shipping instructions to be released at a later date.

6.4.3 Event Logistics

Team Village

Each team is provided with a 10’ x 10’ working area in a tent that includes two tables / seven chairs, one electrical outlet (120V 60 Hz 15A), and a wireless internet connection. The Team Village is a tent with sidewalls that resides on a flat grassy field surface. Although the covered workspace is weather resistant, teams are discouraged from leaving sensitive electronics/equipment exposed in the tent.

Teams should conduct development, maintenance, and repair of their systems in their designated area in Team Village. Batteries may be charged during the day at the Team Village but may not be left charging overnight.

Team Course Operating Areas (Shoreline)

Teams are provided with an area along the shoreline near the course areas where they are able to set up their shore equipment. Each course has a 10’ x 10’ tent-covered area with a single table per tent, 120V 60Hz 15A power, and a hard-wired Ethernet connection to the Technical Director network. The power provided is for Operator Control Station (OCS) use only and shall not be extended to any platforms on the beach. This space is shared between all teams utilizing the course.

Power

The United States uses a 120V 60Hz 15A electrical outlet plug. Usually three pins, two parallel blades (one wider than the other), and an offset semi-round pin. The wider blade is Neutral, the shorter blade is Hot/Line and the third pin is Ground. Teams will only get one 15A service and should not connect more load than that.

Vehicle Deployment and Recovery

Open to the Public

This event is open to the public. Consider the possible attendance from future employers or sponsors.

6.1 Registration

6.2 Event Submissions

6.3 Design Documentation Submissions

6.4 Event Expectations

6.5 Team Communications

6.6 Data Sharing

6.5.1 Pre-Competition Communications

RoboBoat teams have a variety of opportunities to interact with each other and the RoboBoat staff leading up to the event.

TeamTime Meetings

Leading up to the on-site competition, teams are asked to send a representative to regularly scheduled virtual meetings. These TeamTime meetings are hosted by the RoboBoat organizers and technical team to provide teams with competition updates and the opportunity to ask questions. Teams can find the meeting dates and details on the website, Discord, and email.

RoboBoat Discord

All questions, comments, and suggestions should be posted on the RoboBoat Discord. Teams are encouraged to actively participate in the online community and monitor it for the latest news and updates regarding all things RoboBoat.

6.5.2 Event Communications

Team Lead

Each team must designate a student team member as their team lead. The team lead is the only person allowed to speak for the team. The team lead is the only person permitted to request vehicle deployment, run start, run end, or vehicle retrieval. The team lead must be conversationally fluent in English to communicate with RoboBoat staff. Teams who do not have members fluent in English should contact RoboBoat staff as soon as possible.

Technical Director Team

The RoboBoat Technical Director Team consists of a Technical Director, Safety Inspectors and Course Managers.

Other RoboBoat Staff

The RoboBoat Staff are identified with “Staff” shirts.

6.5.3 RoboBoat Website

The official competition website is www.RoboBoat.org/2025. This website includes all official documents and a detailed list of the registered RoboBoat 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.

This information is collected prior to participation on-site at the competition, during the registration process. Submission requirements, guidelines, and scoring rubrics can be found in Section 2: Design Documentation.

Design Documentation submissions collected before the competition include:

• Technical Design Report

• Team Website

• Team Introduction Video

6.3.1 Optional Community & Outreach

Teams are invited to outline their educational outreach efforts. This activity is not scored; however, it will be shared online for the community and can be eligible for special awards and recognition. Teams may submit a description (500 word limit) of their activities and any supporting documents.

A Data Sharing project has been established for registered teams competing in RoboNation’s autonomous competitions: RoboBoat, SUAS, RoboSub, and RobotX. This project aims to increase collaboration between teams and to provide access to shared resources and test data to validate and debug the reliability and robustness of teams’ machine vision algorithms. Access information will be provided in the team registration process, outlined in Section 5.1 Register and Intent to Compete.

For the data sharing guide and more information on Data Sharing, visit RoboNation.org/data-sharing.

6.6.1 Data Sharing Access Requirements

During the registration process, teams must provide a generic email account and a team acronym that is used in the Data Sharing project. The generic email can be associated with any email provider. An example of the Generic Email is: roboboat-team@outlook.com. The team acronym must be within 2-10 characters, abbreviating the team’s school or organization. Examples of the team acronym are: RN or ROBOTEAM.

Access is given to teams that complete the Registration form. Only official registered teams maintain access to the Data Sharing project for the competition season.

This information is collected prior to participation on-site at the competition, during the registration process.

6.2.1 Team Member Registration

This form is required for all team members, advisors, and chaperones planning to attend the competition on-site. Each individual will be able to enter and submit their own information using this process. This information includes name, contact information, dietary restrictions, academic information, optional resume, emergency contact information, signed forms, and a request for an invitation letter.

• Download the (required of all minor and adult participants)

• Download the (required of all adult participants, over the age of 18 years)

6.2.2 Team Demographics

Team demographics are collected to determine program impact on students and in educational settings. This information may also be shared with any eligible sponsors.

6.2.3 Merchandise Order

Using the RoboBoat Competition Shop, teams place an order for their team's shirts. A discount code is provided in the registration portal to receive the first five t-shirts for free. Additional shirts cost $15 each.

6.2.4 Vehicle Information

This submission documents a list of all components utilized in the system design. In cases where components were developed by the team versus purchased off the shelf, this information should be included. Additionally, if commercial off the shelf equipment were significantly modified this should be noted. Under the column marked “Specs” a web link to the manufacturer’s specifications may be provided. This standardized table will help document and track trends in component (hardware and software) usage and team metrics.

6.2.5 On-Site Requirements

Battery Safety Requirements

Shipping Plan

1. Organization name

2. Team name

3. Shipping POC

4. Shipping POC mobile number

5. Shipping POC email address

6. Number of crates

7. Dimensions for each crate

8. Estimated shipping date

9. Shipping Company

10. Type of shipment – Air, ground, ocean

11. Has initial pick-up or drop off been scheduled – include date of pick-up or drop off

12. Is this a dangerous good shipment? If so, has a dangerous goods shipment been arranged?

13. Have you scheduled your outbound shipment pick-up or drop off? Provide pick-up details (date/time) for any pick-up from the hotel.

14. Additional information for shipment, if needed.

7.1 Glossary

7.2 Acronyms