2026 SeaPerch Season

2026 SeaPerch Season - SeaPerch

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Weekend of May 30th | College Park, Maryland, USA

2026 International SeaPerch Challenge

Welcome to the 2026 SeaPerch Season! Join us as we explore the season theme, Storm Response: Technology in Action for Recovery and Relief.

Let’s get started:

Note: We’ve combined the (previously separate) SeaPerch Season and International SeaPerch Challenge pages into a single webpage. We hope this will make it easier with all the Season’s information in one place!

Review the Team Handbook
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Competition Activities

Pool Competition
Pool Competition
Required

Objective: Demonstrate the performance of your novel ROV design.

 

Submission Format: Teams compete in the Obstacle Course and Mission Course.

 

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 Environmental Monitoring: Coral Restoration. The Coral Restoration Mission is a simulation of the tasks and environment that an ROV might encounter while working to recover and restore coral reefs.

 

Resources

– Pool Course Build Guide & Master Parts List (View)

– Compliance Checklists: Stock Class (Download PDF)

– Compliance Checklists: Open Class (Download PDF)

Technical Design Report
Technical Design Report
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 2025 SeaPerch pool courses.

 

Need a Starting Point?

– Engineering Design Process Page

– Example Technical Design Reports:

   – MS Stock Class (Download PDF)

   – HS Stock Class (Download PDF)

   – Open Class (Download PDF)

– Technical Design Report Rubric (Download PDF)

Meet the Team & ROV Fact Sheet
Meet the Team & ROV Fact Sheet
Required

Objective: Introduce your team

 

Submission Format: Digital upload

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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.

 

Need a Starting Point?

– Fact Sheet Template (Download PPTX)

Real-World Innovation Poster
Real-World Innovation Poster
Optional

International Challenge Teams:

The Real-World Innovation Poster is an optional submission.

 

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.

 

Need a Starting Point?

– SeaPerch in the Wild

– Real-World Innovation Poster Template (Download PPTX)

– Real-World Innovation Rubric (Download PDF)

Community & Outreach
Community & Outreach
Optional

International Challenge Teams:

The Community and Outreach is an optional submission. 

 

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.

Presentation Abstract
Presentation Abstract
Optional

International Challenge Teams:

The Presentation Abstract is an optional submission. 

 

Objective: Showcase your project!

 

Submission Format:

• One-paragraph abstract submitted as a written statement (maximum: 100 words).

 

Overview: Apply for an opportunity to give a short presentation at the International Challenge. Share what your team has learned through the design, build, and testing phases of your ROV. The community wants to hear more!

 

Note: This is not a scored component but will be open to other teams and spectators.

Important Dates

October 01 – April 05 | SeaPerch Regional Competition Period 

November 01 | Regional Host Application Deadline

November 07 | Regionals: International Challenge Slots Issued (Notification)

December 01 – February 01 | International Challenge Wild Card Application

January 15 – April 08 | International Challenge Registration (By Invitation Only)

February 11 | International Challenge Wild Card Invitations Issued (Notification)

April 08 | International Challenge Registration Deadline

April 30 | International Challenge Team Schedule Assignments (Notification)

Weekend of May 30th | 2026 International SeaPerch Challenge

Resources

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Team Handbook

Team Handbook (View)

Released October 16, 2025

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Document Library

Pool Competition

– Pool Course Build Guide & Master Parts List (View) (Download PDF)

– Compliance Checklists: Stock Class (Download PDF)

– Compliance Checklists: Open Class (Download PDF)

 

Scoresheet & Rubrics

– Mission & Obstacle Course Scoresheet (Download PDF)

– Technical Design Report Rubric (Download PDF)

– Real-World Innovation Rubric (Download PDF)

 

Templates

– Real-World Innovation Poster Template (Download PPTX)

– Fact Sheet Template (Download PPTX)

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Event Schedules

Overall Schedule (Coming Soon!)

 

Presentation Schedule (Expected Release: April 30)

Event Details

International Challenge Registration

All eligible teams will receive an email invitation with a link and code to get started with their registration. In order to be officially registered, each team must complete all of the tasks in the registration task list by the deadline in order to participate in this year’s competition All registration tasks and fees must be collected by April 08, 2026.

 

Refer to the Team Handbook for registration fees and chaperone policy.

View Team Handbook
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Registration Cancellation Policy

To cancel a registration for the International Challenge, teams must visit the SeaPerch Cancellation Policy page and complete the Cancellation Form. Cancellation requests not submitted using this form will not be accepted. All competition fees are nonrefundable.

Review Cancellation Policy
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