Section 1: Competition Overview
This section includes the following sections:
Dates & Venue
The 2026 International SeaPerch Challenge will be conducted the weekend of May 30th, 2026 at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland, USA. The Pool Competition will take place all day on Saturday, 30 May through midday on Sunday, 31 May, with an awards ceremony to follow in the afternoon.
Competition Structure
The International SeaPerch Challenge includes the (1) Pool Competition that demonstrates high-speed maneuverability, navigation, and object manipulation; and (2) Design Documentation that presents each team’s work and vehicle design.
Competition Theme: Storm Response
Technology in Action for Recovery and Relief. Storm Response explores the power uncrewed systems play in recovery, resilience, and discovery in disaster relief efforts. Framed as an opportunity, not just to restore what was lost, but to rebuild smarter and reimagine the future; this season’s challenges reflect the real-world role of robotics in helping communities respond to and recover from storms and other natural events. Through hands-on missions grounded in post-disaster scenarios, teams will apply technology with purpose – restoring harbor operations, assessing underwater infrastructure, supporting exploration, and unlocking new possibilities. Find out more in Section 2.2 Mission Course for the 2026 Mission Course and tasks.
2026 International SeaPerch Challenge Website
The official competition website is 2026 SeaPerch. 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.
Points of Contact
Competition / Technical Questions
Registration Questions
Event / Safety Questions
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