From May 28 to 31, the 2026 Singapore Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Challenge was held at Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City in Sanya, China. The team from the Nanhai Research Institute of Harbin Engineering University won the Second Prize, marking the first time that Harbin Engineering University has received an award in this competition.

The Singapore Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Challenge, a parallel competition of the 2026 International Conference on Ocean Technology, has been successfully held for ten editions. It has attracted participants from 25 countries and has become the largest and most internationally influential underwater student robotics competition in Asia.

Yin Jingwei, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Harbin Engineering University Committee and President of Harbin Engineering University, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech. The event was also attended by Mandar Chitre, IEEE Fellow and professor at the National University of Singapore; Hari Vishnu, Secretary of the IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society; Peng Luyuan, Chair of the Organizing Committee and researcher at the National University of Singapore; and Rajat Mishra, Technical Chair and researcher at the National University of Singapore.

In his speech, Yin Jingwei noted that the 2026 Singapore Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Challenge provides an important platform for testing innovation and practical capabilities, as well as a youth-oriented international event for cross-cultural exchange. As the host institution of the competition, Harbin Engineering University continues to carry forward the traditions of the former Harbin Military Engineering Institute, serve the national strategy of building China into a strong maritime power, and strengthen independent talent cultivation and technological innovation. The university will continue to enhance the training of young talents in underwater intelligent equipment. Yin also expressed the hope that Chinese and international participants would demonstrate their abilities in challenging conditions, build friendships through intellectual exchange, and contribute their youthful strength to the development of marine science and technology.

Representatives of the organizing committee introduced the safety regulations, competition rules, scoring criteria, and key points of technical adjudication, ensuring that the competition was conducted in a fair and orderly manner.

The competition was hosted by the IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society Singapore Chapter and jointly organized by the National University of Singapore and the Nanhai Research Institute of Harbin Engineering University. Focusing on frontier technologies in marine robotics and underwater intelligent equipment, the event featured multiple scenario-based tasks designed around the core capabilities of autonomous underwater vehicles. These tasks simulated real-world operations such as underwater inspection, target search, and sample recovery. The competition placed particular emphasis on participants’ capabilities in system integration, intelligent control, and independent innovation in complex underwater environments, thereby supporting the iterative development and upgrading of underwater robotics technologies.

After intense competition, eight awards were presented, including First, Second, and Third Prizes, as well as Creativity Awards.

Since its launch, the competition has received applications from 118 teams, with the total number of participants exceeding 900, setting a new record. After a rigorous selection process, 52 teams from 11 countries and regions qualified for the preliminary round. In the final stage, 27 teams and more than 200 participants from eight countries and regions, including Australia, Singapore, India, and China, took part in the competition.

This year’s event was the first time that the Singapore Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Challenge was held outside Singapore and brought to China. It provided a high-level international platform for young students around the world to engage in academic exchange and showcase their technological achievements.

Original Link: https://news.hrbeu.edu.cn/info/1141/88764.htm