The Student Autonomous Underwater Challenge – Europe competition is a competition aimed at University level students. The teams must design and build their own AUVs to attempt an underwater assault course. The course varies from year to year but can consist of gates, drop targets, surface zones, and many other obstacles.
The idea is to simulate real life situations where AUVs could be used commercially. Once the AUV is deployed into the water it must carry out the mission autonomously with no external communication. Points are awarded for overall design and the performance in the final run.
The competition encourages students to become more enthusiastic about innovation and developing new AUV technologies. Such a competition can provide an excellent platform for students to learn practical, teamwork and problem solving skills. AUVs have the potential to solve many industrial problems and thus are an area of rapid development.
