Having already proven their worth on the land in various Grand Challenges, robots are now setting out to conquer the open seas, with the first Microtransat Challenge now getting underway in the Irish Sea off Aberystwyth. From the sound of it, however, this year’s competition is just setting the stage for next year’s race, when larger boats will set sail from France and hopefully find their way across the Atlantic to the finish line in the Caribbean, relying primarily on wind speed and GPS to stay on track. According to the BBC, the boats will also have to be self-sufficient in terms of energy, and they’ll need to be less than 4 meters in length (about 13 feet). No word on what’s in store for the winner, but it looks like the competition is still open for anyone looking to give it a shot.

[Via Waziwazi]