Competition Overview

The Maritime RobotX Challenge serves as a capstone robotics competitions. Teams are to develop an Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) platforms to complete a variety of tasks.

Since 2022, the RobotX Challenge has included two additional tasks which can only be accomplished through use of a Unmanned Areal Vehicle (UAV, or drone). In the competition finals, the UAV is expected to launch from the WAM-V and complete its tasks fully autonomously. To achieve the maximum available points on all eight tasks, the UAV and ASV must operate together and autonomously as a single Automated Marine System (AMS).

In previous RobotX Challenge, as well as the RoboBoat and RoboSub competitions, tasks were to be completed individually with minimal overlap. Typically, each task presented a single challenge that could be completed successfully, independent on the completion of others.This year's RobotX Challenge tasks are more interconnected than ever. Nearly every ASV task is dependent on at least one other task to achieve the maximum points.

Teams can practice on any of the eight tasks leading up to the Semi-final and Final rounds, but must qualify on at least five of them before advancing. For the Semi-final and Final rounds, all tasks will be available on the final course and each team is free to attempt as many tasks as they like time to obtain the highest score possible within one hour. In other words, teams can practice on individual tasks, but to win, they have to bring it all together!

Overview of the tasks for the 2024 RobotX Challenge

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS

 

Teams must be able to communicate status of their AMS as well and specific task-related message to the judges station.

Strategy

  1. ROS Judge’s Com Node that subscribes to all required data (ex. GPS fix, task status, task data, etc.)

  2. Judge’s Com formats string to send to the judges

  3. String is broadcast over ROS network

  4. Ground station computer receives string over ROS network and relays over Judge’s network

ENTRANCE & EXIT GATES

 

A set of three gates will be located in the course area with a beacon placed underwater within each gate. The AMS must detect the active underwater beacon and transit through the gate in which the active beacon is located.

Strategy

Task Autonomy:

  1. Plan to gate closest to Pinger direction

  2. Follow path through gate

  3. Circle closest object in front

  4. Exit through same gate as entered

Task Ready When:

  1. At least four objects in front

  2. Four closest objects are collinear and separated by at least 5 meters

FOLLOW THE PATH

 

This is a classic perception/navigation task. The ASV must detect and avoid a range of obstacles. For the 2024 event, teams will be instructed to use pathway to either exit or return to harbor, depending on the result of Scan the Code.

Strategy

Task Autonomy:

  1. Plan path through closest red Taylor-Made and closest green Taylor-Made buoy to entrance buoy

  2. Follow path through gate

  3. Find next two closest red Taylor-Made and closest green Taylor-Made buoy beyond previous gate

  4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until completed the expected number of gates or no red/green buoys remain

Task Ready When:

  1. Scan the code complete

  2. Entrance buoy is found

WILDLIFE ENCOUNTER

 

The ASV must autonomously locate the correct animal by its color, indicated by Scan the Code, and then proceed to circle that buoy in the correct direction.

Strategy

Task Autonomy:

  1. Determine which buoy scan the code dictates encircling

  2. Plan path the encircles correct buoy in thee correct direction and with correct number of rotations

  3. Follow path around buoy

  4. Repeat steps 1-3 if necessary to circle second buoy

  5. Record objects on map and send to ground station

Task Ready When:

  1. Scan the code complete

  2. Found three Polyform A2 buoys

  3. At least two of them must be red, green, or blue

  4. All three are separated at least five* meters apart and no more than fifteen* meters

*Values can be tuned

SCAN THE CODE

 

The USV will observe a light sequence on an RGB buoy and report the color pattern. Detecting the correct pattern is critical for identifying other task-related elements.

Strategy

Task Ready When:

  1. Entry gate complete

  2. Object large enough to be light tower is in front of Minion

Task Autonomy:

  1. Plan path to stare at light tower front a distance of ten meters

  2. Follow planned path

  3. Station-keep at end of path

  4. Extract ROI (Region of Interest) of light panel from imagery

  5. Estimate panel color for twenty-five* seconds

  6. Filter colors to remove false positives

  7. Based on voting determine most commonly seen, valid sequence

  8. Send to ground station

*Values can be tuned

DOCK & DELIVER

 

This task consists of a floating platform with three docking bays, each labeled with a different colored panel (red, green, or blue) and two square holes. The AMS should dock within a specific colored bay, indicated by the sequence in Scan the Code, and propel racquetballs into one of two holes.

Strategy

Task Autonomy:

  1. Plan to the entrance of a docking bay

  2. Follow path to docking bay entrance

  3. Check color of bay and repeat steps 1 and 2 if color is incorrect

  4. Plan into the docking bay

  5. Follow path into the docking bay

  6. Align Minion with the racquetball target

  7. Station-keep in the docking bay

  8. Arm launcher

  9. Fire launcher

  10. Repeat steps 6-9 three times

  11. Reverse out of docking bay

Task Ready When:

  1. Scan the code complete

  2. Three collinear docking bays have been identified and observed at least ten* times

  3. Determine colors of each docking bay

  4. Entrance to docking bays are clear of obstacles

*Value can be tuned

UAV REPLENISHMENT

 

This task is designed to be accomplished using a UAV. The UAV launches from the USV, locates a floating helipad and collects a small colored tin. The UAV delivers the tin to the circular target area on another floating helipad, then returns to the USV.

Strategy

Task Autonomy:

  1. If UAV is on Minion:

    1. Minion begins to station-keep in current location

    2. UAV is armed by minion

    3. UAV takes off to altitude of fifteen meters*

  2. Fly over estimated UAV Replenishment location at altitude of fifteen* meters

  3. Center UAV over platform

  4. Descend

  5. Continue descent until 1.5 meters above platform

  6. Align to tin

  7. Land on tin

  8. Take off from platform with tin

  9. Repeat steps 2-5 on other platform

  10. Land on center of platform

  11. Drop tin

  12. Take off to fifteen* meters

*Values can be tuned

Task Ready When:

  1. Scan the code complete

  2. Minion has estimate of UAV Replenishment location

UAV SEARCH & REPORT

 

For this task, the UAV launches from a designated start point (helipad on land or AMS on water), conducts a search, detects and determines the location of two distinct objects in the field, and lands at the designated endpoint.

Strategy

Task Ready When:

  1. Scan the code complete

  2. Minion has estimate of UAV Search and Report location

Task Autonomy:

  1. If UAV is on Minion:

    1. Minion begins to station-keep in current location

    2. UAV is armed by minion

    3. UAV takes off to altitude of fifteen meters*

  2. Fly over estimated location from Minion

  3. Capture image of platform

  4. Identify if platform is R or N

  5. Confirm Minion’s estimated location

  6. Repeat steps 2-5 for second platform

  7. Report R and N platform locations

Current & Past Competitions

The competition’s primary goal is to increase student interest in autonomous robotic systemsoperating in the maritime domain. Emphasis is placed on systems engineering and the science and engineering of autonomy.  The Maritime RobotX Challenge will stimulate innovative approaches to autonomous sensing, on-board decision-making, and mission implementation.  It will promote international endeavors in science and technology among the Pacific region communities.

Since 2014, the RobotX competition has been open to student teams from around the globe. Each team acquires a 16 ft. WAM-V standard hull as a hardware base, and works with industry partners to bring their system architecture to life. The focus of this challenge will be sensors, software, propulsion and their integration to allow successful navigation of the competition course. 

RobotX
Challenge 2024

Sarasota, Florida, USA

November 3-9, 2024

RobotX Challenge 2022

Sydney, Australia

November 11-17, 2022

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lazer1.jpg

Honolulu, hawaii

December 2016

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MARINA BAY, SINGAPORE

October 2014