About the Microtransat
The Microtransat Challenge is a transatlantic race of fully autonomous sailing boats. The race aims to stimulate the development of autonomous sailing boats through friendly competition. The Transatlantic race is currently planned for late 2009.
Three smaller competitions have already taken place, these allowed contestants to exchange ideas and test their boats in less harsh environments.
The first Microtransat competition took place on a lake near Toulouse, France in June 2006. Three teams (Aberystwyth University, ENSICA/IUT de Nantes and INNOC) took part.
The second competition took place on the Irish Sea off the coast of Aberystwyth, Wales, UK in September 2007. This was intended to give competitors a sample of what sailing at sea was like. Four teams (Aberystwyth University, ENSICA/IUT de Nantes, INNOC and Queens University) took part.
A third spin off competition was organised by INNOC (The Austrian Association for Innovative Computer Science) and took place in Austria in May 2008.
