This challenge is open to everyone.  Sorry at this time there's no prize money associated with the challenge.  If donations pick up we'll fix that.

Who can be the first ones to build [the] aircraft [defined below] and have it circumnavigate the globe at the equator with complete autonomy and using only water as fuel? 

Rules: Flight can deviate off the equator for fueling operations but must return exactly to the point of deviation to continue the flight.  Circumnavigation must occur at the equator.  Flight must be autonomous.   Flight may make extensive use of secure radio datalinks.  Vehicle must communicate effectively within the existing air traffic control system to maximize safety.

Stage II of this same competition is to perform the flight non-stop.

• No speed restrictions other than those defined by airspace regulations
• No altitude restrictions other than those defined by appropriate airspace charts available to any pilot.  All existing airspace regulations otherwise apply.
• Any water source may be used for refueling
• The aircraft may refuel as often as necessary to complete the circumnavigation
• Circumnavigation may occur in either direction - Eastern or Westerly
• All fuel must be created by the aircraft
• Aircraft may be any scale / size so long as all feature requirements are present and functional as intended
• Must carry a payload that accomplishes meaningful science
• AI on board is expected to assure the safety of the vehicle at all times, other aircraft and everything on the ground, consistent with normal flight rules and regulations.
• Deviations for weather are allowable so long as the journey returns to the point of deviation prior to continuing the journey.
• Circumnavigation must be autonomous.
• The aircraft may seek safe haven anywhere on the Surface of the Earth to avoid dangerous weather - so long as it does so with complete autonomy and without human intervention of any sort.

Build a (any scale) aircraft that:

• Can operate in completely autonomous modes
• Amphibious
• Alternatively can be remotely operated
• Engines can produce no CO2, NO2 must not be significant
• Fuel must be derived from water and may be used in any fashion so long as it does not produce CO2 or significant NO2 compounds
• Artificial Intelligence w/interface to avionics suite
• Auto Pilot interfaced to AI & Avionics
• On-board high resolution digital cameras for reconnisance and aircraft status inspections
• Can scale to carry commercial viable payload
• Can communicate within air traffic control system using Voice Recognition & Speech Synthesis conforming to communications standards published by the FAA
• WAAS IFR GPS
• COM
• VOR
• LOC and Glide-slope
• TSO'd VHF COM on all available frequencies
• GPS Database covering operational area
• Transponder mode/S
• Weather
• TAWS
• Terrain Awareness
• Traffic & Collision Avoidance
• Lightning Detection Avoidance
• FDE prediction
• Approved for Oceanic operations
• Can communicate with base operations comprehensive status of the vehicle to remote receivers on secure datalink