The maritime edition of the world’s largest aviation, space, and technology festival — TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland (Mavi Vatan) — has officially begun at the Istanbul Shipyard Command. Organized under the coordination of ASELSAN, the Unmanned Underwater Systems Competition is being held for the eighth time, marking a milestone as it takes place at sea for the first time in 2025. From a record 2,351 applications, only 42 teams have qualified for the finals, competing with remotely operated and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs/ROVs) designed to perform in real-world mission scenarios.

This year’s finals include three main mission themes: “Rescue of Dumlupınar”, focused on submarine recovery and underwater rescue; “Lost Treasure Hunt: Tracing Atlantis”, involving mapping, marking, and object detection; and “Underwater Cable Tracking and Anomaly Detection”, designed to simulate the protection of deep-sea infrastructure. Teams are evaluated on watertight integrity, maneuverability, navigation accuracy, autonomy, and sensing capabilities. Prizes range from 200,000–120,000 TL in the Basic Category and 250,000–100,000 TL in the Advanced Category, along with special awards for Best Design, Best Software, and Best Team Spirit.

Competitors have already emphasized the unique challenges of underwater robotics. Furkan Yıldızlı, a participant in the Basic Category, stated that his team developed its own software and control systems: “We designed both the structure and the software ourselves using domestic components.” Advisor Yasemin Polat highlighted the high-risk nature of underwater testing, noting that even minimal leakage could destroy critical electronics: “You don’t get many trials underwater, and one mistake can end your entire project.” Meanwhile, Hatice Kübra İlhan from Konya Technical University praised her team’s cooperation and innovation, saying, “We built as many electronic components as possible ourselves — it’s an honor to develop technology for Türkiye’s Blue Homeland.”

Inspired by Selçuk Bayraktar’s “Blue Homeland” message, many student teams joined this year’s competition to contribute to the protection of Turkish waters through innovation. Between August 28–31, TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland hosts three major events — the Unmanned Underwater Systems Competition, Unmanned Surface Vehicle Competition, and Underwater Rocket Competition — with a total of 2,698 teams participating.

By fostering innovation in autonomous navigation, sonar-based sensing, visual processing, and underwater communication, TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland aims to accelerate Türkiye’s progress in maritime defense technologies, promoting national capabilities that can shape the future of oceanic security and sustainability.