Turkish university teams advance unmanned vehicle projects at TEKNOFEST and Anatolian Rover Challenge

The Metigin Team of Yozgat Bozok University, composed of computer‑ and electrical‑engineering students, built an autonomous unmanned sea vehicle for TEKNOFEST 2026. The 135 cm mono‑hull craft can travel up to 10 km, operate via telemetry, and detect objects with onboard image‑processing algorithms. After extensive lake‑side testing, the team entered the competition’s semi‑finals aiming for a top placement.

In Ankara, the Middle East Technical University hosted the Anatolian Rover Challenge (ARC), drawing 25 domestic and international teams to test planetary‑rover prototypes on lunar and Martian simulation fields. Participants tackled autonomous navigation, scientific analysis, and night‑time tasks, with the event supported by the Turkey Space Agency, TÜBİTAK Space, and industry partners Baykar and Fergani Space. Organisers said the competition helps build an academic talent pool for Turkey’s planned 2028 Moon mission.