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.
(Required)
Objective: Demonstrate the performance of your novel ROV design.
Submission Format: No pre-event submission.
Teams will complete pool course runs on-site, in-person at the 2026 International SeaPerch Challenge.
Overview: Navigate your SeaPerch ROV through an obstacle course and a mission course including a series of tasks. Score points for time and successful task completion.
The Obstacle Course tests high-speed maneuverability and requires the SeaPerch ROV to navigate the course as quickly as possible.
The Mission Course incorporates a mission related to Storm Response: Technology in Action for Recovery and Relief.
(Required)
Objective: Communicate your intentional design process.
Submission Format: Technical design report.
Overview: Describe the intentional design process you completed for your SeaPerch ROV. This report should include all required sections in the instructions and provide judges with an understanding of your unique SeaPerch design and your team’s approach to developing this design. This report should focus on the SeaPerch ROV your team designed to compete in the 2026 SeaPerch pool courses.
(Required)
Objective: Introduce your team.
Submission Format: Digital upload.
Overview: Connecting with your community is important. We want to get to know you! Reach out and share your team or school’s logo, an overview of what your team is all about, and social media information so we can share it with the SeaPerch community. This is your chance to introduce us to your team and team’s personality.
(Required)
Objective: Present your work.
Submission Format: Send the presentation document before the challenge day as required by the Regional Challenge Organizing Committee.
Teams will complete presentation on-site, in-person at the 2026 Regional SeaPerch Challenge.
Overview: Each team will be asked to present a pitching to a judging panel within 5 minutes, and the judges have 10 minutes for questions and evaluation. The team can use any software or hardware requirements to help them in the purpose of the pitching. The team may present in Arabic or English with no additional score.
(Optional)
Objective: Explore real-world applications for underwater ROVs.
Submission Format: Digital poster (PowerPoint Template).
Overview: Identify a real-world issue and design a SeaPerch to address the issue. Create a virtual poster to tell us all about your project. Poster submissions can include anything from a conceptual design to a full project that you completed in the real world.
(Optional)
Objective: Give back to the community!
Submission Format: Written statement (with photos and videos as applicable) submitted as a one-page PDF.
Overview: It’s time to give back. Whether you volunteer your time in your community or your team finds a way to connect and offer support online, we want to hear about it. No project is too big or small!
Note: This is not a scored component but will be reviewed for special awards.
Status: No content now
Update: To be updated after the challenge.
Status: No content now
Update: To be updated after the challenge.
Status: No content now
Update: To be updated after the challenge.
2026 Regional Challenge General Agenda
To Be Announced
