Students develop autonomous underwater vehicle at TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland

Students participating in the Underwater Rocket Competition held at Gölcük Naval Shipyard Command as part of TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland are developing autonomous underwater vehicles. Students from different engineering disciplines aim to advance their projects in underwater technologies and the defense industry.

TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland is continuing at Gölcük Naval Shipyard Command under the main coordination of the Ministry of National Defense and the Turkish Technology Team Foundation. Students are showcasing the autonomous underwater vehicles they have developed at the Underwater Rocket Competition, held for the first time as part of the event.

The team includes 10 students from different fields, including software, computer, mechanical and biomedical engineering. One of them is Elif Özkul, a second-year student in the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa. The team was established last year after learning that the competition would be held for the first time and continued working this year to develop the vehicle.

Developed for autonomous missions

The team, which began working in February, plans for the vehicle to have two main functions. In addition to being used as an underwater torpedo, the vehicle is being designed to autonomously carry out designated missions.

Sensors on the vehicle can determine its position and speed. The system follows a designated route while remaining within the safe zone; the vehicle’s planned functions also include opening its nose section and launching the ammunition inside.

Özkul said the underwater rocket category requires extensive research and development, adding that turning the knowledge acquired at university into a real project has been an important experience for the team. She said they carried out fieldwork at TEKNOFEST and that the advice they received from the judges contributed to improving their project.

At the prototype stage

Özkul, who said she is from Gölcük, noted that holding the event in Gölcük carries special meaning for her. She said that seeing the ships in the navy and shipyard, as well as closely examining the products developed by Türkiye’s defense industry, encouraged them to work harder.

Özkul said the project is at the university level and in the prototype stage, adding that there are areas requiring further development in underwater systems. She said the team is also continuing work on some sensors that are not manufactured in Türkiye as part of a TÜBİTAK project.

Özkul said it would bring them great happiness if the project were used in a real maritime project in the future, and advised young people not to hesitate to try new things or to continue the work they have started.

Team grows from 4 to 11 students

The other team, which includes Zeynep Erikçi, a fourth-year student in the Department of Aviation Management at Gaziantep University, began its work with four students. The team now continues its work with 11 students from the departments of Aerospace Engineering, Aviation Management, Mechanical Engineering and Electrical and Electronics Engineering.

The team applied to the Underwater Rocket Competition in February 2025 and became a finalist last year. Developing their project with a larger team this year, the students said bringing together the underwater world and rocket technology helped them produce innovative solutions.

Erikçi said that contributing an idea to Türkiye’s defense industry and becoming finalists by advancing through the stages of the competition strengthened them. She said TEKNOFEST supports young people in turning their projects into reality and that various groups, from university professors to citizens, have contributed to their team.

Erikçi said it is a source of pride for them that Türkiye develops products for land, sea and air, adding that they want to advance their work in underwater technologies as well as in the defense and civilian sectors. She added that children’s interest in technology at an early age can contribute to raising future generations.