QinetiQ Powerboat Challenge 2025

Deadline for entries - 9th June

The QinetiQ Schools’ Powerboat Challenge 2025 is being held at the Haslar Marine Technology Park in Haslar, near Gosport . QinetiQ is a leading global defence and security business, the maritime division is involved in a wide range of marine projects providing specialist advice on all aspects of design throughout the life cycle of a vessel.

The QinetiQ Schools’ Powerboat Challenge is a chance for a team of up to five pupils (in Years 7 to 10) to design and build a radio-controlled model powerboat. They will then come to the Haslar Marine Technology Park to race their powerboat in QinetiQ’s large Ocean Basin facility. The event will give the pupils valuable experience in receiving a brief, solving a problem and producing a working design that they then showcase at a regional level.

This year, there are a few changes! Read below for information.

Challenge Timescale:

• Entry deadline - 9th June
• NEW - Challenge kick off with a school visit to Haslar date 1 - w/c 2nd June
• NEW - Challenge kick off with a school visit to Haslar date 2 - w/c 30th June
• Model build window
• Race day - 24th October!

P lease note that by signing up for this event you agree/acknowledge the following:

• Min of 1 primary contact for the school who can respond to emails and communications from the event.
• You have max. 1 team of max. 2 teachers and 5 students between years 7 to 10 per school.
• You agree to facilitate the visit of a QinetiQ ambassador (who may/may not have a DBS check).
• Are available for the event.
• Travel to QinetiQ Haslar for Kick-off and on race day will not be organised by QinetiQ.
• Q inetiQ require the filling out of visitor forms (distributed after sign up). Without a signed form 1 week before the event we cannot accept the team on site.

Any questions, please don't hesitate to contact HaslarSTEM@QinetiQ.com and don't forget the deadline for entries by the 25th of April.

On the day of racing, there will be a team of QinetiQ scientists, engineers and mathematicians who will be keen to ask the pupils about their boats. This will require the team to compile a log book and visual display of their work to demonstrate how they undertook the design and build process. Pupils will also have the opportunity to talk to QinetiQ employees about their jobs and see how science, engineering and mathematics can lead to exciting and diverse careers.

There will be numerous awards presented on the day and in addition the winning team of pupils will be invited to return to the Haslar Marine Technology Park to be guided around the world-class facilities and their history. This will give them a unique insight into the reality of ship and submarine design and enable them to put the knowledge they gained from building their model into context.

A previous year's challenge - QinetiQ Powerboat Challenge 2023

The Powerboat Challenge in the news - Gosport: Aspiring engineers build and race model speedboats - BBC News

A video of the event - QinetiQ Schools' Powerboat challenge 2013