The PB Rover Team from Bialystok University of Technology placed 4th in the international Anatolian Rover Challenge 2025 held in Turkey. Twenty-six teams from around the world competed, presenting their custom-designed Mars rovers and testing them in simulated conditions similar to those found on the Red Planet. 

The students from Bialystok University of Technology showcased a rover named 126 Spirit – a mobile research platform developed as part of the PB Rover Team, a student robotics scientific club operating within the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. The vehicle was equipped with a 4×4 drive system, a manipulator arm, a drilling system for sample collection, as well as advanced software and artificial intelligence algorithms running on the NVIDIA Jetson platform. All components were integrated with the control and communication system, enabling the team to successfully meet the demanding competition stages. 

The rover passed Check-In technical tests and participated in the main stages of the competition, such as the scientific mission, field mission, and nighttime exploratory mission. Competing in the event confirmed the rover’s ability to operate in harsh conditions and brought the team a high, fourth-place finish. 

The 126 Spirit project is the result of collaboration among students from four faculties at Bialystok University of Technology. The team’s interdisciplinary nature allows its members to develop not only technical knowledge but also organizational and design skills. The team includes young engineers working on mechanics, electronics, programming, as well as promotion and logistics of the team’s activities. 

Students from Bialystok University of Technology have already created nine analog rover designs that have earned top placements in prestigious competitions such as the University Rover Challenge (URC) and the European Rover Challenge (ERC). 

The team’s academic supervisor is Dr. Eng. Kazimierz Dzierżek, Professor at Bialystok University of Technology, from the Department of Dynamic Systems in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. 

The rover construction project was carried out under the program “Development of scientific and professional competencies of students in mobile robotics through participation in international competitions” and co-financed by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education under the program “Support for students in enhancing their competencies and skills.”