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From March, 21 to March, 27, 2023, the Russian city of Astrakhan hosted the 6^th Russian Cup in Remotely-Operated Underwater Vehicles (ROUVs). Location: swimming pool of the Corporate Training Center of LUKOIL-Nizhnevolzhskneft. The competition was held in 3 team categories: institutions and organizations operating ROUVs, higher education students, secondary education students (aged 15-19).

► Competition results

The competition saw teams from Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Severodvinsk, Sevastopol and Astrakhan. These Russian cities are competence hubs of marine robotics. According to the competition rules and regulations, the participants had to perform several tasks: to pass an obstacle course (rings placed on the bottom of the swimming pool), to install a model connector into the sleeve using a manipulator, to read an inscription inside a submerged MI-8 helicopter (real scale model) and to bring to the surface a model flight data recorder which had been placed inside the cockpit. To fulfil these tasks, the teams used special machinery, for the most part their own innovative designs. The refereeing commission evaluated the results based on such criteria as time taken to do the task, accuracy and correct order while going through the obstacles. ROUV operators had to perform tasks in conditions which as close as possible to real-life work at the submerged objects.

The first prize among professionals at the Russian Cup-2023 was won by “Trionix LAB” team from LLC “Underwater Drones” (Podvodnye Drony) from Saint Petersburg. Among university teams, “Lemming” team from Northern (Arctic) Federal University (Severodvinsk branch) came first, and among secondary school students – “Arctic Depth” team from Severodvinsk Municipal Autonomous Additional Education Center.

As marine robotics has provoked substantial interest among young people, SMSIF is planning to organize an international ROUV competition in 2024.