VRX Competition 2027

Robotics teams from around the world operate their System of Systems in a Gazebo-based simulation environment built by Honu Robotics. Using the Virtual RobotX (VRX) environment, students develop innovative solutions for a fully integrated multi-vehicle system that includes an Uncrewed Surface Vehicle, Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle, and Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle that can accomplish challenge tasks in the simulated environment.

The VRX Competition is designed as an affordable entry point for teams interested in building skills in multi-domain maritime and aerial autonomy, learning more about simulation environments as a tool, and/or considering competing in RobotX or other single domain competitions such as RoboBoat, RoboSub or SUAS.

The environment uses RoboNation’s advanced robotics program RobotX as inspiration, however the VRX Competition is independent from the physical Maritime RobotX Challenge – that means you don’t have to compete in the physical biennial RobotX Challenge in order to compete in VRX! 

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After a four-year absence, RoboNation and the Office of Naval Research (ONR) are pleased to announce their partnership with Honu Robotics to bring development updates to the simulation environment to reflect the multi-domain system capabilities seen in the 2026 Maritime RobotX Challenge. Virtual RobotX (VRX) is an open-source simulation environment designed as a free tool for students to test autonomous maritime and aerial robotics solutions. This opens up the opportunity for single-domain communities (air, maritime surface and subsurface) to utilize this software to improve their testing and systems development.