The Maritime RobotX Challenge Singapore edition wraps up today, 14 November 2026, at The Promontory @ Marina Bay. Twenty-two university teams from 10 countries have spent the week sending robot boats and drones through a disaster-response course on the bay, in a competition hosted by the Ministry of Defence, Singapore and the US Office of Naval Research, with RoboNation and the National University of Singapore.
A second, student-focused contest, Trident-X 2026, ran at the same venue from 10 to 13 November. Here is what both events are about, and who is flying the Singapore flag.
What the Maritime RobotX Challenge Singapore is
RobotX is a biennial international competition run by RoboNation, a US non-profit that runs robotics programmes for students. Teams build and integrate an autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) and an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) on a Wave Adaptive Modular-Vessel, or WAM-V, a twin-hulled platform. They then have to complete real-world maritime tasks without a human at the controls.
The 2026 theme is “Storm Response”. Missions focus on post-disaster scenarios such as restoring harbour operations, assessing underwater infrastructure and supporting exploration. The competition runs over seven days, from 8 to 14 November 2026.
The teams in the water
The 22 teams come from the USA, Australia, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Chile, Peru, India and China. Six are from Singapore:
- Archimedes Autonomous Vehicles and Mecatron, both from Nanyang Technological University
- Bumblebee Autonomous Systems, from the National University of Singapore
- circle, from Republic Polytechnic
- OptiPrime, from the Singapore Institute of Technology
- MARVL, from the Singapore University of Technology and Design
Visiting teams include Georgia Tech, the University of Florida, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Korea Maritime and Ocean University and Tongji University. Flags from many of these institutions line the team village.
Trident-X 2026: the school and polytechnic contest
Trident-X is billed as an inaugural maritime robotics challenge, co-organised by the Republic of Singapore Navy, MINDEF Future Systems and Technology Directorate, and the Singapore Maritime Foundation. It runs alongside RobotX, but it is for local students, not international university teams.
Students in secondary schools, junior colleges, ITE and the polytechnics design, build and programme unmanned surface vessels for scenarios that mimic real maritime challenges. More than 90 teams registered, and no prior robotics experience was needed. Division A covers JC, polytechnic and ITE students, while Division B covers secondary school students.
The challenge ran from 10 to 13 November. Playoffs were two-versus-two mission matches, then one-versus-one elimination rounds led to the finals. Before that, teams joined a two-day buildathon at SUTD in August or September.
Can the public go down to watch?
We could not confirm public access. RobotX lists a spectator guide, schedule and event maps on robotx.org, and says the event is open to the media. The Navy page for Trident-X describes it as being for registered student participants and does not say visitors can attend. Check robotx.org before heading to the Promontory (11 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018940), since today is the last day.
RoboNation says its programmes span primary school to postsecondary level, so the same pipeline that starts with simple kits in classrooms ends with teams like these programming vessels on the open water. For Singapore students, a home-ground event also means the chance to test their boats without a long-haul flight.
Why it matters beyond the bay
Autonomous boats and drones are a competition theme. They also sit close to the kind of unmanned systems that agencies here test for emergencies. For another example, see how SCDF unveiled a robot that tows burning electric cars.
Planning the rest of your weekend? Our things to do this weekend list has more ideas, and the Defence Collective Festival guide covers free museum entry and drone flying on 14 and 15 November.
