Seal The Triumph!!
On April 20, 2025, the MATE International Underwater Robotics China Regional Contest was successfully held at HDU. HDU team achieved a groundbreaking victory, securing the China Regional Championship with outstanding performance. Competing against top domestic universities, HDU team earned qualification for the World Championship and will represent China at the global finals in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Alpena, Michigan, USA.
Dubbed the “Olympics of Underwater Robotics,” the MATE competition demands excellence in engineering capabilities, field operations, system design, task execution, and commercial presentation. On this prestigious stage symbolizing the pinnacle of underwater technology, HDU team triumphed through exceptional robot performance, precise control, and seamless teamwork, ultimately claiming the championship.
I. MATE ROV COMPETITION
01. Competition Overview
Since its inception in 2001, the MATE ROV International Underwater Robotics Competition has grown into one of the world’s most influential and technically challenging underwater robotics events. Organized by the U.S.-based MATE Center and supported by NASA, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), and renowned research institutions, it attracts over 600 teams from 30+ countries and regions. Known as the “World Cup of Underwater Robotics,” the contest evaluates not only ROV task completion but also project management, engineering design, technical documentation, business presentations, and teamwork—a comprehensive test of a team’s capabilities.
02. 2025 World Championship
The 2025 World Championship is set to take place in Alpena, Michigan, with a mission centered on exploring shipwreck zones, conducting regional heritage exploration, and advancing environmental and ecological conservation.
The challenges for the Explorer Group this year are more demanding than ever, including tasks such as underwater resistor replacement, hydrophone deployment, shipwreck ranging, underwater sampling to measure pH levels and eDNA sequences, fish school protection, jellyfish conservation and collection, and deploying batteries for wind power generation.
HDU students successfully completed all tasks, achieving a seamless integration of theory and engineering practice in the deep blue arena. Their performance showcased precise understanding and exceptional execution of complex system tasks. Demonstrating remarkable skill and teamwork, the HDU team will now represent China at the upcoming World Championship for the next stage of the competition!
II. Competition Works and Team Members
01. Competition Teams:
Instructors: Zhang Xueting, Xu Zhenlong, Shen Zhangyi
Participating Students: Zuo Yang, Huang Shipeng, Huang Jianan, Lu
Zhiyuan, Wang Yihan, Li Yanran, Xue Song, Liang Jiale, Ye Zhuoyuan, Yu Jiaxuan, Yu Yabo, Hu Zheyu, Tu Haiyang, Ge Xinting, Yan Yunze, Sun Shengyang, Chen Junjie, Ma Manhong, Wang Yuhang.
02. Competition Works:
ROV: Corona Borealis consists of an exoskeleton frame, cabin, electronic system, upper and lower robotic arms, samplers, servos, thrusters, and other components. Compared to previous works, it features superior mobility and the ability to switch different peripherals as needed. During the competition, it demonstrated functions such as object recognition and gripping, scanning and modeling, water sample collection and sensing, floating debris cleanup, and water body collection.
Float: Gemini contains a series of electronic devices within a waterproof shell, forming a control system that drives the piston of the buoyancy adjustment device, enabling the float to perform vertical movements. It can also wirelessly transmit data to the base station.
III. Preparation Journey
Since the preparation began, HDU has placed high importance on the competition, actively preparing and meticulously planning to provide comprehensive conditions and an optimal environment for the team. All team members formed a highly coordinated engineering loop:
Operators persistently practiced task simulation and control exercises in the experimental pool, repeatedly refining operational paths and movement rhythms to achieve flawless execution on-site.
Electrical control members shuttled day and night between the lab and testing sites, troubleshooting and repairing various faults to ensure stable system performance.
Structural team iteratively redesigned components, continuously optimizing weight control, module assembly, and functional integration to balance efficiency and reliability in complex tasks.
Algorithm team revamped core modules in visual recognition and target modeling, enhancing the ROV’s precision in task identification and positioning.
Countless late nights and compressed weekends were spent by these students testing, refining, and advancing their work at the poolside and in the lab—culminating in this composed and resolute triumph.
IV. The Road to Victory
From being the national third-place winner in 2023, to claiming the national runner-up title in 2024, and ultimately ascending to become China Division champions in 2025—each step forward by our institute in the MATE underwater robotics competition represents a process of deep technical refinement, repeated polishing, and steady progression.
Over these three years, the team has continuously learned from failures and grown through iterations—streamlining structural designs, advancing control systems from stability to efficiency, and elevating task execution from mere completion to precision. Behind these achievements lie countless late-night debugging sessions and intensive pool training sessions. Facing fierce competition from top universities nationwide, our institute has remained committed to engineering logic as the foundation, teamwork as the support, and innovation as the breakthrough, steadily challenging higher technical standards with unwavering determination.
V. Conclusion
The name “Northern Crown” speaks for itself without fanfare. Our MATE team will represent the China Division in the MATE International Finals, showcasing our capabilities on the global stage. Beneath the deep blue—Hangzhou Dianzi University marches forward!
