2026 IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society (SMCS) Open-Source Search and Rescue (SAR) Competition

We are pleased to announce the 2026 IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society (SMCS) Open-Source Search and Rescue (SAR) Competition, organised by the IEEE SMCS and Swinburne University of Technology. We invite undergraduate and postgraduate students, and early-career researchers worldwide to participate.

Competition Overview
This two-phase challenge advances innovation in autonomous multi-robot coordination, AI-driven perception, and real-world search and rescue robotics.

Prizes
– 1st Prize: AUD 20,000
– 2nd Prize: AUD 10,000
– 3rd Prize: AUD 5,000

Up to six Phase 1 finalist teams will also receive up to AUD 5,000 each in travel support to attend the on-site finale in Melbourne, Australia.

Phase 1 — Multi-UGV Search and Rescue Simulation
Teams develop autonomous agents to control a fleet of uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs) in a Webots-based simulation environment. Agents must analyse pre-recorded flyover footage of a disaster scene, plan mission execution, and deploy a UGV fleet to explore the environment and locate victims.

Phase 2 — Real-World Disaster Mission (30 November – 2 December 2026, Melbourne, Australia)
Finalist teams deploy a physical fleet of UGVs in a mock disaster scene featuring hazards, obstacles, and victim localisation tasks, followed by a technical presentation.