Marine Autonomy Challenge (MAChallenge)

This exciting bi-annual challenge is open to teams of students studying at UK universities. Each qualifying team is provided with an industry simulator to enable them to build the autonomous behaviours required to achieve a series of challenges. These will be carried out using a 2m catamaran that has been specially designed, built and equipped for MAChallenge – a cash prize of £2000 awaits the winning team. Our aim is to bring on the next generation of marine technologists and to encourage development and take-up of marine autonomous systems technologies in the UK.

Developing the UK’s Future Maritime Autonomy Technologists

Why are we holding MAChallenge?

A key mission of the MASG Council is to encourage young technologists and help develop careers that contribute to the future of the UK’s MAS industry.

The aim of the challenge is:

• Focussed on autonomy (not platforms)
• To get students thinking about how autonomy might address the problem of plastics in the ocean
• To stretch the knowledge of the students and promote creative thinking
• Encourage team working through a variety of individual skills
• Connect the brightest young talent coming through the UK’s universities with the UK’s MAS Industry.

To find out more about our 2023 competition, click here. 

If you have any questions please email MAChallenge(at)maritimeindustries.org or visit our FAQs Page.

Competition Details

During the competition students will be required to develop the autonomous behaviours required to enable a powered surface vessel (catamaran) to undertake a series of challenges –challenges involving:

• Remote Navigation
• Remote Collision avoidance
• Remote Mapping

The catch is that the teams will not have physical access to the vessel.

The MAChallenge consists of three phases:

• Phase 1 – Video Submission
• Phase 2 - Competition Gateways and Down-selects
• Phase 3 – Remote on-water competition

Phase 1 – Video Submission

• Each team will need to make a 3 min video submission
• Full details and guidelines can be found here. 

Phase 2 - Competiton Gateways and Down-selects

• While the aim of stage 2 is to down-select to the final three teams to undertake the final competition, within this stage we aim to motivate and support the teams to reach a successful outcome.
• Teams will have to provide a 10 minute presentation followed by a panel Q+A, giving a detailed explanation of their proposed approaches to achieving the challenges and the methodologies that they intend to utilise.

Phase 3 – On-water competition weekend

• Each team will then have around 6 months to develop and test their software
• Culmination will be a on-water competition at Timsbury Lake Ship handling Centre, Hampshire

For full details of the challenges and rules please click here. 

If you have any questions please email the dedicated email address. 

With thanks to our sponsors:
 

Gold Sponsorship

Silver Sponsorship

Please get in touch if you would like to sponsor MAChallenge 2023.