Teamwork took center stage—not on the field, but in the water—as student teams competed in the 2025 MATE Great Lakes Regional ROV Competition at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena.
Teams were tasked with demonstrating their ROVs’ (remotely operated vehicle) capabilities in the Marine Technology Training Tank as they navigated through a series of challenges under strict time constraints. They presented their projects to a panel of judges, articulating their design process and objectives. They also captured an overview of the entire project on a marketing display, telling the story of their ROV’s conception and purpose.
These teams have been planning, building, and preparing for months. Nineteen teams competed, traveling from as far as Michigan’s upper peninsula and Ohio. Three of the teams were in the Scout category, nine in the Navigator category, and seven in the Ranger (advanced) category. The top Ranger team from each regional is invited to the World Championship, however, that year’s host site is allowed to advance their top two teams, and this year Alpena is honored to be hosting!
The 2025 mission theme focuses on real-world scenarios happening in Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary since it is the site for the World Competition in June. Teams used their ROVs to document a historic shipwreck, deploy a buoy equipped with environmental sensors, and collect and analyze water samples. Teams focused on maintaining offshore wind turbines and floating solar panels systems, as well as deploying vertical profiling floats that contribute to global observing efforts.
WINNERS LISTED HERE
Scout Overall 2nd place: Tiger Sharks – Alpena Schools Partnership
Scout Overall 1st place: HIRUS – Iosco County 4H
Navigator Overall 2nd place: Deep Sea – Thunder Bay Junior High
Navigator Overall 1st place: T.A.R.P Tech – Iosco County 4H
Ranger Overall 2nd place: RAFT Robotics – Alcona High School
Ranger Overall 1st place: Underwater Research Robotics (UR2) – Alpena High School
Safety Award: Lincoln Group, LLC – Gahanna Lincoln High School
Tethered Together Award: Deep Sea – Thunder Bay Junior High
Somehow Someway Award: Tardigrades – Alcona Middle School
Innovation Award: N.E.W.T. – Rudyard High School
MATE Great Lakes Regional ROV Competition is supported by local professionals, including engineers and inventors, and especially by volunteers who act as judges for the competition, evaluating the student’s ROVs, poster displays, and engineering presentations. The competition is one of nearly 40 regionals held around the world. The UR2 Ranger Team from Alpena High School and RAFT Robotics from Alcona High School are advancing to the 2025 MATE ROV World Championship Competition in Alpena this June!
