06 / RoboBoat 2027

The next mission.

After a double world-podium season, KAPSÜL YAVUZ HAN is heading to RoboBoat 2027 — with a new vessel, a proven autonomy stack and one deadline: January 13, 2027.

The competition

What is RoboBoat?

RoboBoat is RoboNation's international competition for student-built autonomous surface vehicles. Teams from around the world design, build and program ASVs that complete a series of maritime mission tasks — navigation, obstacle avoidance, speed, detection and precision maneuvers — with no human control.

The challenge spans the full engineering cycle: teams are scored not only on water performance, but on their technical documentation, design report and team website. Engineering communication is a first-class deliverable.

https://www.robonation.org/programs/roboboat/

RoboBoat competition course photo / venue map
The challenge

Mission tasks, our approach.

Task list below reflects typical RoboBoat missions — it will be updated against the official 2027 rules when published.

Task / Navigation

Channel & gates

Fused camera + LiDAR gate detection with LOS guidance. Our bread and butter — the same core stack that won SAUVC 2026.

Task / Avoidance

Obstacle field

Dynamic obstacle tracking with A* re-planning. Detection range target: 15 m, verified in the lake test matrix.

Task / Speed

Speed challenge

Lightweight carbon hulls and a 675 W peak power budget, aimed at a ≥ 4 m/s sprint through the course.

Task / Detection

Object identification

Color and symbol classification from the stereo camera, cross-checked with LiDAR geometry before commitment.

Task / Precision

Station keeping & docking

Differential thrust gives rotation in place and ± 0.3 m station keeping against wind and current.

Task / Return

Return & recovery

Robust mission state machine — every failure path ends in a safe, predictable return-to-dock behavior.

Preparation

The road to the starting line.

Q4 2025

Program kickoff

Requirements analysis from the RoboBoat mission set; concept trade studies begin.

Q1 2026

Design & analysis

CFD-driven hullform optimization, structural sizing, subsystem selection and design freeze.

Q2 2026

Manufacturing

Mold making, carbon-fiber infusion, electronics fabrication and bench validation.

Q3 2026

Integration & first water

Full-system integration, basin trials and the first autonomous lake runs of KH-01.

Q4 2026

Test campaign

Complete test matrix, full mission rehearsals under race conditions, documentation and video production.

Jan 13, 2027

Documentation deadline

Website, technical design report and video submitted to RoboNation.

H1 2027

Final qualification

Pre-competition shakedown, shipping logistics and team readiness review.

Summer 2027

RoboBoat 2027

We race. [Venue and dates to be announced by RoboNation.]

Deliverables

Documentation is part of the race.

RoboBoat scores the full engineering package, not just water performance. We are preparing all three scored deliverables in parallel with the build.

Deliverable 01

Team website

This site — our living technical documentation platform, scored on team information, vehicle design content and usability.

Deliverable 02

Technical design report

The formal report behind the Engineering page: analysis methods, test data and design justification.

Deliverable 03

Team video

Build and test footage telling the season's story — from infusion day to the final lake rehearsal.