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A Drone to Uncover the Mysteries of the Deep Blue Sea

June 24, 2016

Underwater drones are making ocean exploration easy and available to all.

If you want to explore the ocean, but don’t want to put on the wetsuit and scuba gear, an underwater drone may be exactly what you need.

So get in line, because Blue Robotics’ is getting ready to roll out BlueROV2, an affordable remote operated vehicle that explores the ocean floor while capturing video so that you feel like you are one with the clownfish and coral.

According to an article in Gizmag, the BlueROV2 is able to descend to a maximum depth of 100 m (328 ft), maneuvering using six vectored thrusters. A tether runs from it to a topside laptop, where the user controls it in real time using the QGroundControl app. The submersible also incorporates an open-source Pixhawk autopilot, along with a Raspberry Pi microcomputer.

Priced around $3,000, it is initially being sold on a reservation basis. This means that you can reserve your BlueROV2 for free, you can make changes or cancel at any time, and your payment will be charged before shipment, which is scheduled to start in August 2016. The BlueROV2 comes with everything you need (minus the topside computer, the gamepad controller, and the batteries).

Are you ready to get in the water and not get wet?

About the Author

Stephanie Neil | Editor-in-Chief, OEM Magazine

Stephanie Neil has been reporting on business and technology for over 25 years and was named Editor-in-Chief of OEM magazine in 2018. She began her journalism career as a beat reporter for eWeek, a technology newspaper, later joining Managing Automation, a monthly B2B manufacturing magazine, as senior editor. During that time, Neil was also a correspondent for The Boston Globe, covering local news. She joined PMMI Media Group in 2015 as a senior editor for Automation World and continues to write for both AW and OEM, covering manufacturing news, technology trends, and workforce issues.