Barunastra Team Sweeps Three Major Titles in World-Class Autonomous Boat Contest.
SARASOTA, Florida — A student research team from Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) Surabaya has secured the Grand Champion title at the International RoboBoat Competition 2026, after sweeping three of the competition’s top awards in one of the world’s most competitive autonomous surface vehicle contests.
Competing against 36 teams from 10 countries, the Barunastra ITS team claimed first place in the Autonomy Challenge, first place in Design and Documentation, and earned the Best Technical Design Report award. The achievement places Indonesian students alongside leading global institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Queen’s University and the Georgia Institute of Technology.
The competition was held in Sarasota, Florida, United States.
RELEVANT SUSTAINABLE GOALS
A Global Test of Autonomous Surface Vehicle Innovation
The International RoboBoat Competition is widely regarded as a premier arena for developing Autonomous Surface Vehicles (ASVs) — unmanned boats capable of navigating and executing missions independently using sensors, navigation algorithms and onboard control systems.
In 2026, the event tested not only vessel performance in open water but also system integration, operational reliability and the technical documentation prepared by each team.
Barunastra ITS emerged as the only team to dominate all main categories, earning the overall Grand Champion distinction.
Nala Ares Mark II: Technology Built for Disaster Response
Central to the team’s victory was its autonomous vessel, Nala Ares Mark II, engineered to address the competition’s 2026 theme: “Storm Response: Technology in Action for Recovery and Relief.”
The theme simulated a post-disaster port environment. Autonomous boats were required to execute complex recovery and relief missions without direct human control.
During the Autonomy Challenge, Nala Ares Mark II successfully maneuvered independently through evacuation routes, avoided hazardous debris and completed precision logistics delivery tasks.
The vessel integrated intelligent navigation systems, adaptive decision-making algorithms and a tested software architecture — elements that proved decisive in the team’s performance.
Inside the Autonomy Challenge Missions
The Autonomy Challenge consisted of a sequence of missions designed to replicate disaster-response conditions in a harbor setting:
- Evacuation Route & Return: Navigating through red and green gates representing emergency evacuation paths.
- Debris Clearance: Scanning for simulated survivors while avoiding dangerous objects among debris.
- Emergency Response Sprint: Rapid maneuvering based on visual directional indicators.
- Supply Drop: Delivering water and logistics to a designated target vessel with high precision.
- Navigate the Marina: Identifying a safe docking location and completing the docking process according to priority signals.
- Harbor Alert: Responding to sound-based emergency signals requiring the vessel to halt its mission and relocate autonomously.
These tasks tested the boat’s ability to interpret dynamic situations, make rapid decisions and maintain operational stability under changing conditions.
Barunastra ITS completed the missions with consistent performance, securing first place in the category.
Excellence Beyond the Water: Design and Documentation
In addition to operational performance, the team also won first place in Design and Documentation.
This category evaluated the full engineering process, from initial design concepts to testing results, as presented in a comprehensive technical report. Judges also assessed the quality of the team’s development video and official website, which documented the project in detail.
The team further distinguished itself by earning the Best Technical Design Report award, recognized for the clarity, depth and technical rigor of its submission.
Strengthening Indonesia’s Position in Maritime Innovation
The Barunastra delegation consisted of students from multiple engineering disciplines, including Engineering Physics, Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Informatics Engineering, Naval Systems Engineering and Naval Architecture.
Additional team members contributed from Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Automation Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Marine Transportation Engineering and Information Systems.
This multidisciplinary collaboration formed the foundation for developing a fully autonomous surface vessel capable of competing at a global level.
The victory reinforces ITS’s commitment to advancing sustainable maritime technology innovation in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in strengthening industry, innovation, infrastructure and marine ecosystems.
Facing established global universities and emerging international teams, Barunastra ITS demonstrated that Indonesian students can compete — and lead — in advanced autonomous systems development.
The Grand Champion title at International RoboBoat Competition 2026 marks not only a competitive milestone but also a signal of Indonesia’s growing capacity in marine robotics and intelligent systems.
In a field defined by precision engineering and real-world application, the achievement stands as proof that innovation built in Indonesian laboratories can command the global stage.
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