Students & Young Professionals

Third National Competition on Student Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (SAVe)

The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, conducted a competition for students pursuing engineering degrees to visualize and design an autonomous underwater vehicle. The conceptual basis for Student Autonomous underwater Vehicle (SAVe), is a highly mobile autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to be built based on engineering principles. The main focus of this competition is to involve students on the new frontier areas of ocean technology and kindle their innovative thinking in this unexplored area of ocean environment and observation. NIOT will support the winning teams with their expertise and sponsor for the International competition being held annually in USA.

     NIOT joined with IEEE—Oceanic Engineering Society—India chapter and Ocean Society of India to organize this event. The aim of this competition is to attract young talented Students to work on under water technology and NIOT to support this national cause. The overwhelming response shown by the students and interest seen from the students from all over India has been very encouraging and can help in technological development in a long way.
This competition received overwhelming response from students. After successful completion of SAVe 2011 and SAVe 2012 competition, the Governing Council (GC) appreciated this effort and recommended to continue this competition. NIOT has been continuing this capacity building exercise in the field of Underwater Technology by giving technical support to the selected student teams for developing their AUVs and is sponsoring the winning team of SAVe to participate in the International ROBOTICS competition organized at San Diego USA.
Dr. M. A. Atmanand, Director NIOT announced the 3rd National competition on Student Autonomous underwater Vehicle_(SAVe—2014) on 15th August 2012. SAVe 2014 announcement was made in NIOT’s website and through leading National Newspapers. Out of 27 teams registered 14 teams submitted their Preliminary Design Reports (PDR). These teams submitted detailed Conceptual Design Report and on the basis of oral presentation held at NIOT on 2nd April 2013, 10 teams were short-listed. Finally five teams prepared their AUV and participated in the competition.
The National Committee evaluated the students and expressed their sincere appreciation to all the teams involved in this Competition. The working AUVs were demonstrated for evaluation to the national committee on 3rd February 2014 at the swimming pool of Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu, Chennai.
The following five teams presented their working model:

  1. Delhi Technology University, Delhi
  2. SRM University, Chennai
  3. Ambedkar Institute of Advanced communication Technologies & Research, New Delhi
  4. Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai
  5. Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal

After the demonstration, the committee selected the team of students from Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai is the winner of the competition. NIOT will sponsor the winning team to participate in the International Competition to be held at San Diego, USA during July 2014.
The Chief Guest, Commodore Amar K Mahadevan, Naval Officer In-Charge (TN&P) graced the occasion and appreciated the efforts taken by students. He urged the students to contribute to the national building exercise in particular in underwater technology. He also emphasized that this competition would help the students in their career. He announced the winning team as “Indian Institute of Technology Madras Chennai”.
Dr. M. A. Atmanand, Director NIOT explained about the initiative by NIOT in conducting this national event and its importance in creating awareness and interest among the young Engineers.

     Dr. R. Venkatesan, Scientist In Charge of the competition delivered the Vote of Thanks. He informed that this competition is well appreciated.
The success of this competition is based, in part, on the fact that India has eight AUVs having different configurations from the following institutions:

  1. Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
  2. Indian Institute of Technology Madras
  3. Saveetha Engineering college Chennai
  4. SRM university Chennai
  5. Panimalar Institute fo Technology
  6. Indian Maritime University Vishakhapatnam
  7. Delhi Technological University
  8. Ambedkar Institute of Advanced Communication Technologies and Research.

     This is a major contribution by students in the field of Underwater Technology.