Silesian Phoenix in Canada – Our Best Result to Date

From August 8 to 11, we participated in the prestigious Canadian International Rover Challenge 2025 (CIRC) held in Drumheller, Canada. Our rover, Phoenix III, achieved 6th place with a total of 293.50 points. This is the best result in the history of our team and a significant step forward compared to previous editions.

Preparations for the Competition

Throughout July, we dedicated ourselves to intensive training and mission simulations designed to reflect the conditions we would face in Canada as accurately as possible. We focused particularly on improving the rover’s speed and reliability during navigation as well as on precise manipulation with the robotic arm.

The rover was shipped to Canada in advance, and we collected it on-site the day before the competition began. After reassembling and powering up Phoenix III, we underwent the mandatory safety inspection. Thanks to thorough preparation in Poland, this process went smoothly.

Our team consisted of: Jakub Gurgul (team leader and chassis operator), Wojciech Łoziński (robotic arm operator), Dominik Włodarczyk (mechanical section leader), Oskar Górka (mechanic), Radosław Kępa (electronics section leader), Andrzej Ślusarski (electronics specialist), Miłosz Słowiak (electronics specialist), and Anna Szkoda (media and photography). The team was supervised by Dr. Eng. Andrzej Jałowiecki.

Phoenix III Upgrades

Compared to last year, we implemented a number of significant improvements across mechanics, electronics, and software.

Mechanics

• We introduced a new suspension system based on two aluminum differential beams, designed by our team and manufactured in cooperation with South Tech. This upgrade significantly improved stiffness and reliability when driving through the challenging Canadian terrain.

• We developed new polyurethane resin-cast wheels, which allowed Phoenix III to successfully climb steep slopes and escape from depressions—an issue that had posed challenges during CIRC 2024.

Electronics

• We designed a new electrical installation along with a custom power distribution board, developed in cooperation with ProPCB. This solution simplified diagnostics and system adjustments between missions.

• The steering axle system was redesigned, now operating with stepper motors, the STM32 platform, and absolute encoders. A closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures precise and stable chassis control.

Software

• Phoenix III was equipped with a new onboard computer providing significantly greater computing power.

• We restructured the software architecture using Docker containers, which improved reliability and made system management more efficient.

• We deployed an enhanced navigation module that allowed operators to more precisely determine the rover’s position and overlay it onto elevation maps. This greatly assisted in planning optimal routes.

• Improvements to both chassis and robotic arm control software increased system stability and simplified operations under time pressure.

Competition in Canada

The competition gathered leading teams from Canada, the United States, and beyond. We were the only European team, which highlights the importance of our presence at CIRC 2025.

We are especially proud of our results in two missions:

• Boneyard Salvage Assessment – 88/100 points for identifying and securing reactor components,

• Reactor Maintenance – 84.24/100 points for completing tasks related to replacing fuel rods.

Another positive surprise was the Traversal night mission, in which our custom lighting system performed exceptionally well, enabling smooth operation in challenging low-visibility conditions.

Notably, in none of the missions did we require technical interventions, proving the reliability and maturity of Phoenix III.

Results and Lessons Learned

We achieved a total of 293.50 points, finishing in 6th place—two positions higher than last year, with more than triple the score compared to CIRC 2024. This demonstrates that our engineering solutions perform effectively under real-world conditions and that we can successfully compete with top North American teams.

At the same time, we identified areas for improvement, such as enhancing the robotic arm and upgrading the camera system, particularly in terms of resolution. We also confirmed that many of our solutions, including the suspension system, steering mechanism, and navigation module, already meet the highest standards.

Significance of Participation

Our participation in CIRC 2025 was both an honor and a responsibility. As the only team from Europe, we represented not only Poland but also the entire continent. This achievement is significant both academically, as proof of the development of our rover, and organizationally, given the complexity of preparing and executing such an international project.

The competition allowed us to gain valuable experience, test our solutions in extreme conditions, and establish new international contacts. With the knowledge gained this year, we are already planning further improvements and preparing for the next edition of the competition.

Acknowledgments

This success would not have been possible without the support of our partners and institutions. We would like to thank our sponsors for their trust, the Silesian University of Technology for organizational support, and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland for co-financing our participation.

Financed by the State Budget. The trip was co-financed as part of a task commissioned by the Minister of Science entitled "Preparation and representation of the Polish student scientific community through SKN Silesian Phoenix in the international Canadian International Rover Challenge 2025 competition."
Funding: PLN 120,000
Total value: PLN 160,000