Ixys is a proud sponsor of two participating teams: UiA Sub from the University of Agder and UiS Subsea from the University of Stavanger. The competition brought together hundreds of students who have spent months designing, building, and testing underwater drones capable of solving complex real-world subsea challenges at Tau Autonomy Center in Norway.
Record numbers of teams
This year´ s competition featured thirteen teams, making it the largest TAC Challenge to date. Four teams represented Norway, while the remaining participants travelled from universities and schools across the globe.
The competition challenges students to develop advanced underwater drones capable of operating in realistic maritime environments. Teams are evaluated on both technical performance and engineering practices, including safety, documentation, and project management.
Ixys´ presence at TAC Challenge 2026
Several Ixys employees attended the event to support the student teams and experience the competition firsthand.
“A few years ago Otto, Tomas and I were competing ourselves. Returning as industry representatives shows how valuable these student projects are for developing future engineers,” says Vebjørn Lia Riiser, Senior Software Engineer.
Competition challenges
The competition includes a combination of manual and autonomous tasks performed in both an indoor pool and the open ocean.
Tasks included:
- Presentation of drone
- Subsea docking to docking station
- Pipeline inspection
- Detection of defined objects and images underwater
- Intervention and manipulation of subsea valves
- Navigation and positioning in subsea environments
- Autonomous vehicle behaviour
- Wireless communications and charging
- Technical reporting and safety protocols
By awarding additional points for autonomous functionality, TAC Challenge encourages teams to push the boundaries of intelligent systems, robotics, and decision-making.
Strong results for UiA Sub
UiA Sub delivered an impressive performance throughout the competition, securing fourth place overall among the thirteen participating teams. The team was also recognized with the safety minded award.
“We are pleased with our effort at TAC Challenge. During the first days of testing, we identified the need to make some final adjustments before the competition days. The team was proactive and solution-oriented, developing and adapting solutions on the spot as challenges appeared. This helped us complete the competition tasks successfully, according to plan, and in a satisfactory way,” says Sverre Brattelid Stige, Head of UiA Sub.
The achievement is a result of months of preparation and shows the team´ s strong technical capabilities across multiple disciplines.
For more information about UiA Sub visit https://uiasub.no/
Valuable lessons for UiS Subsea
UiS Subsea encountered unexpected technical challenges with their drone shortly before the competition, preventing the team from participating in the practical underwater tasks.
Despite the setback, the team attended the event and presented their project, and received positive feedback from the judges.
For more information about UiS Subsea visit: https://www.uissubsea.no/
Ixys commitment to education and innovation
At Ixys, we believe that practical experience is one of the most valuable parts of an engineering education. Student organisations like UiS Subsea and UiA Sub provide opportunities to work with technology, electronics, software, systems integration, and project management in realistic environments.
Many of the skills developed through these projects are directly relevant to the industries in which Ixys operates.
“TAC Challenge gives students the opportunity to solve real engineering challenges in a realistic environment. Seeing their dedication firsthand is inspiring. We are proud to support initiatives that give students the opportunity to develop practical skills, build professional networks, and discover future career opportunities,” says Anne Linn Olsen, Marketing Specialist at Ixys.
About the teams
UiA Sub
UiASub is a student-driven technology group at the University of Agder. They specialize in building autonomous and remotely operated underwater systems.
For more information visit https://uiasub.no/
UiS Subsea
UiS Subsea is a student organization at the University of Stavanger, focused on developing subsea technology and creating an environment for innovation.
For more information visit https://www.uissubsea.no/
About TAC Challenge
TAC Challenge is an international student robotics competition that brings together students, researchers, and industry partners to promote innovation in maritime and subsea technology.
Teams design, build, and operate advanced autonomous and remotely operated systems for realistic maritime and subsea operations. Hosted annually in Norway, the competition helps bridge the gap between education, research, and industry by challenging students to solve real-world engineering problems.
For more information visit https://tacchallenge.com/
For more information about Tau Autonomy Center in Norway visit https://www.tauautonomycenter.no/
Contact Ixys
For more information about Ixys and our involvement in student organisations, please contact:
Anne Linn Olsen
Marketing Specialist
alo@ixys.no
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