On August 15–16, 2026, the 5th International University Underwater Robot Competition (WUURC) was held at the Brest Regional Olympic Reserve Center for Aquatics. Brest once again confirmed its status as a leading engineering center, serving as a testing ground for the most advanced student developments in underwater robotics.
The large-scale event was organized by Brest State Technical University, the Brest Science and Technology Park, and the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus.
Over 60 participants, including students majoring in relevant technical disciplines, young scientists, and engineers, participated in the competition. The competition covered the Republic of Belarus, the Russian Federation, and the People's Republic of China.
The competition brought together over 60 students and young scientists from three countries: the Republic of Belarus, the Russian Federation, and the People's Republic of China. The teams' geographic diversity was impressive: ten teams from China, four teams from Russia, and one team from Belarus presented their developments.
Belarus was represented by a three-member team from BrSTU, led by coach Alla Osipova. This is the team's second time competing at this level. The students themselves note that last year's experience in the competition finals in China allowed them to deeply study the engineering solutions of their international colleagues and adopt best design practices.
Valery Viktorovich Kasyanik, Head of the Industrial Robotics Laboratory at BrSTU, discussed the future of the program: "The next area is the Ministry of Emergency Situations. This includes various emergency situations, facility isolation, environmental pollution of water bodies, beach monitoring, and rescue of drowning people. We used these practical cases as the basis for the competition regulations."
Nikolai Nikolaevich Sheshko, Head of the Department of Science and Innovation at the Ministry of Education, emphasized that holding the WUURC in Brest is part of a joint project between Belarus and China. "The main goal of this event is to attract the most active young people—future engineers, designers, and programmers," he noted.
Over two days of intense competition, participants presented their projects in two key categories:
- REMOTELY OPERATED UNDERWATER VEHICLE (ROV). This discipline assessed piloting precision, the reliability of the mechanical design of the manipulators, and the ability to perform complex technical tasks underwater via a real-time video feed. Teams demonstrated their skills in searching for objects, cutting ropes, and handling cargo.
1st place — Team Soar Sky (Harbin Engineering University, China)
2nd place — Team Seals (Lyceum No. 7 and ProTechno Technology Center, Russia)
3rd place — Team Transcend (Harbin Engineering University, China)
- AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER VEHICLE (AUV) This competition emphasized machine vision algorithms, energy-efficient navigation, and the stability of onboard software. The robots performed the mission without operator intervention, navigating independently using sonar and sensors. 1st place — Team Sea Sky Explorer (Nankai University, China)
2nd place — Team Soul Star (Harbin University of Engineering, China)
3rd place — Team South China Sea Star (Harbin University of Engineering, China)
The teams' runs, design reliability, and software quality were evaluated by an international judging committee headed by Oksana Igorevna Kabantsova (Vladivostok, Russia), a recognized expert in underwater robotics.
