BRACU Duburi, Bangladesh’s first autonomous underwater vehicle team from BRAC University, placed eighth overall at the prestigious RoboSub 2026 competition. The team also achieved the highest finish among the three Bangladeshi teams participating in this year’s event, a press release said.

RoboSub is one of the most prestigious Autonomous Underwater Robotics competitions worldwide. Organized annually by RoboNation in the United States, this year’s event was held at the Woollett Aquatics Centre in Irvine, California. Competing against 58 elite teams from leading universities and research institutions worldwide, BRACU Duburi outperformed many major global institutions including Stanford University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Duke University and so on.

The team achieved its success by qualifying two advanced autonomous underwater vehicles designed to complete complex tasks without direct human control. Its primary competition vehicle, Duburi 4.5, represents the latest iteration of a platform that has been refined through years of continuous research and development. It was paired alongside DuboMini 2.0, a smaller secondary vehicle created to explore more compact and agile underwater robotic systems. 

Beyond its performance in the in-water missions, BRACU Duburi achieved strong results in several technical evaluation categories, earning 6th place in the Technical Presentation, 11th place in the Technical Design Report and 12th place in the Team Video evaluation. 

Sharing their experience, the spokesperson of the BRACU Duburi team, Tahirah Zannat Mim, said, “Getting to this point wasn’t easy. Our team had to navigate everything from visa complications and damaged equipment to health issues along the way. But standing among the top teams globally and seeing our hard work pay off on an international stage makes every single one of those obstacles worth it.”

The team’s effort was backed by HONOR, which has been the official supporting partner of BRACU Duburi.

Abdullah Al Mamun, Head of Business, HONOR Bangladesh, said, “HONOR is proud to stand alongside initiatives that empower young innovators to dream bigger and create technology with the potential to transform industries. Supporting BRACU Duburi reflects our commitment to nurturing the next generation of engineers and fostering a culture where technology serves as a force for national development.”

Beyond medals and rankings, the team’s achievements demonstrate that Bangladeshi students are capable of solving complex engineering challenges that demand multidisciplinary expertise. Their journey is inspiring students across Bangladesh to pursue careers in robotics, artificial intelligence, embedded systems, marine technology, and deep-tech innovation.