Written by Nyle Farhan Ul Haq, AVBotz VP of Business
As RoboSub 2026 approaches, every division within AVBotz has been working hard to improve our submarine, expand our technical capabilities, and continue growing as a team. From major software upgrades to new electrical systems and continued outreach efforts, this year has been filled with innovation, collaboration, and progress.
Software Division
This year, the Software Division has focused heavily on modernizing and improving the submarine’s entire software infrastructure. One of the team’s largest accomplishments has been upgrading the tech stack from Ubuntu 20.04 with ROS2 Foxy to Ubuntu 24.04 with ROS2 Jazzy. This transition provides long-term support, improved compatibility, and access to newer robotics tools that will help streamline development moving forward.
In addition to the operating system upgrade, the team transitioned from Gazebo Classic and Plankton to the Stonefish underwater simulation platform. Stonefish offers significantly improved underwater physics and sensor fidelity, allowing the team to test algorithms and autonomous behaviors in a more realistic virtual environment. By relying more heavily on simulation, AVBotz can iterate faster and reduce the amount of physical pool testing required during development.
The software team has also upgraded the submarine’s onboard computing system. Previously, the vehicle used a Mini ITX motherboard, but this year the team migrated to the Jetson AGX Orin platform. The Orin provides greater power efficiency and significantly improved machine learning performance, enabling faster vision processing and more advanced AI capabilities.
Another major improvement has been the redesign of the vehicle’s control architecture. The team implemented a Cascade PID control system paired with Quadratic Programming Thrust Allocation. This approach allows for smoother and more accurate vehicle movement while improving overall thruster efficiency and stability underwater.
Additionally, AVBotz has moved away from traditional Arduino-based systems and transitioned to Zephyr RTOS for sensor data acquisition and low-level control. This change provides improved reliability, real-time performance, and scalability for future development.
As competition season approaches, the Software Division continues refining autonomy, perception, and control systems while preparing the submarine for extensive testing.
Mechanical Division
The Mechanical Division has made major strides toward completing the CAD model of AVBotz’s newest submarine platform. Over the past several weeks, the team has focused on refining critical systems including the Main Electronics Bay (MEB), the electrical rack, and various task-based components required for RoboSub missions.
A large emphasis has been placed on improving both functionality and reliability. Team members have worked extensively to optimize component placement, simplify maintenance access, and ensure efficient use of internal space within the vehicle. These improvements will make future repairs, upgrades, and testing significantly easier throughout the competition season.
As the CAD design nears completion, the Mechanical Division is continuing to fine-tune important details while preparing for the transition from digital modeling into manufacturing and final assembly.
Electrical Division
This year, the Electrical Division has focused on improving system integration, power efficiency, and sensor monitoring throughout the submarine.
One of the division’s key projects was the design of a custom ESC backplane and Raspberry Pi HAT to streamline electronic speed controller connections to the thrusters. These systems improve organization, reduce wiring complexity, and simplify future maintenance.
The Electrical Division also supported the transition to the Jetson AGX Orin by redesigning portions of the power distribution system for improved efficiency and reliability.
To improve vehicle safety and monitoring, the team designed and tested a dedicated sensor stack capable of monitoring internal temperature and pressure within the submarine. This system allows the team to better detect environmental changes and respond to potential issues before they become critical.
Additionally, the team installed a Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) switch to support PoE cameras and sensors, simplifying communication and power delivery across onboard systems.
Business Division
The Business Division has continued to play a major role in supporting AVBotz through sponsorship outreach, fundraising, and community engagement efforts.
This year, the team worked with sponsors and supporters including Luxonis, Costco, Pleasanton Rotary Club, PPIE, and several local district supervisors who helped provide funding and support for the club’s continued growth and development.
Beyond sponsorships, AVBotz members also participated in numerous school and community outreach events throughout the year. Through engineering nights, coding workshops, innovation fairs, and club fairs, the team continued working to inspire younger students and promote STEM education within the community.
As RoboSub 2026 approaches, every division within AVBotz remains committed to improving the submarine, expanding technical knowledge, and representing Amador Valley High School on an international stage against collegiate-level teams from around the world.
