CSUF’s Titan ROV Team Takes 1st Place at National Underwater Robotics Challenge

Students nationwide are gaining hands-on experience in underwater robotics at the year’s premier robot competition: the National Underwater Robotics Challenge (NURC). Hosted by the Firewheel STEM Institute in Chandler, Arizona, NURC highlights robotics for underwater exploration and teaches students advanced manufacturing, 3D printing, and engineering design.

CSUF Titan ROV team's ROV performing at the ASU pool.

The CSUF Titan ROV team’s vehicle performing at the NURC in Chandler, Arizona.

Supporting the Mission

To support this mission, Oceanbotics sponsored the Titan ROV team from Cal State Fullerton (CSUF). For almost a decade, this collegiate team has built remotely operated vehicles for this annual ROV competition. What began as a class project is now a multi-generational underwater ROV build passed down to new students to refine.

Oceanbotics founder and CSUF alumnus Robert Jechart sees the program as a vital talent pipeline. Oceanbotics has supported the ROV vehicle program for years, ultimately hiring some of the top team members into the company. Former member Mohammad Khalil highlighted how the project bridges academia and real-world ROV manufacturing careers, turning a computer engineering degree into an immediate job:

“My experience on the CSUF ROV Team provided a strong foundation for professional engineering, exposing me to the core competencies that define effective engineers — technical design, systematic problem solving, budget management, and cross-functional team coordination. The opportunity to carry forward work developed during my senior project into a professional setting was particularly meaningful, as it demonstrated that my contributions had real, lasting impact from day one.”

CSUF Titan ROV team working on their remotely operated vehicle, fir with an Oceanbotics sticker.

Titan ROV team working on their remotely operated vehicle, sponsored by Oceanbotics Inc.

National Champions & Future Careers

Last week, the Titan ROV team secured 1st place in the collegiate division at NURC, topping the national leaderboard. The award recognizes the dedication of the CSUF students who designed, built, and operated the underwater robot, scoring highest in technical innovation and mission execution.

The team came to Oceanbotics HQ in Irvine and presented their winning vehicle to the entire company. Members of the team included Jackie Gong, Justin San Gil, Jacob Gomez, and Libin Jian. During their presentation, they shared their entire build process from start to finish, explaining how sponsorships like the one Oceanbotics provided helped to purchase critical supplies to perform tests effectively and be ready to perform in the championships. Thanks to their hard work and dedication, the team came out on top as national champions.

What is an ROV?

So, what is an ROV? An ROV (remotely operated vehicle) is a tethered underwater drone used to perform underwater operations. As the blue economy grows, the global demand for ROV pilot, engineer, and designer roles is skyrocketing.

NURC offers four entry tiers—pre-high school, high school, university, and open adult—giving anyone the chance to dive into autonomous underwater robotics and test their custom ROV drone in real-world scenarios. The future is bright for underwater robotics, and we’re proud to support such incredible efforts from students in our community.

Robert Jechart and the ROV Titan ROV team celebrate their victiry at Oceanbotics HQ.

Robert Jechart, founder of Oceanbotics, and Mohammad Khalil, celebrate with the Titan ROV team at Oceanbotics HQ in Irivne, California.