Blue Robotics is a start-up that has created an inexpensive high performance drone designed for underwater use.
Blue Robotics is a start-up that has created an inexpensive high performance drone designed for underwater use.
The BlueROV2 will make it possible for more people to explore the ocean and study its depths. The underwater robot has been functional since 2016, when the first batch became ready for distribution.
Company founder Rustom Jehangir borrowed from the structure of the vectored thruster found inside high-end automobiles. This made the BlueROV2 more stable and smooth but still easy to manoeuvre.
Jehangir said that the company wants marine robotics to become more accessible to more organizations and businesses.
Their first production was an affordable thruster motor for underwater use which came out in 2014. Since then, Blue Robotics has come out with a stream of products, including underwater lights, watertight pressure enclosures, and depth sensors.
The BlueROV2 has been a flagship product for Blue Robotics since release in 2016. It brings together the best of their innovation and all their products.
The applications of the BlueROV2 are widespread, from exploring shipwrecks, to remotely operated underwater vehicles, to aquaculture.
The underwater exploration industry has been dominated by a few companies. Remotely operated underwater vehicles sold for a steep price of $4,000 up to $100,000.
The standard BlueROV2 kit costs $3,000. Jehangir’s idea is to leverage the tools and principles that made aerial drones a reality to make the BlueROV2 drastically cheaper than other vehicles in the market.
The company used Pixhawk autopilot, an open-source software and a Raspberry Pi PC workstation.
Jehangir says that the BlueROV2 will be a tool to help people who have an urge to explore ocean depths to do just that.
Interested buyers started making reservations in June, and the first kits were shipped out in August of the same year.
Pros
• The affordable pricing of the BlueROV2 will make it possible for more people and organizations to use subsea vehicles and explore the seas and oceans. The new users will include first responders, universities, hobbyists, researchers, and small businesses.
• The BlueROV2 is versatile and has a firm platform for allows users to attach equipment, explore the ocean depths as far as 100 meters down, and capture high quality footage.
Cons
• The BlueROv2 comes as a kit that requires partial assembly. It is designed to be easy and fun to put together. The process of assembly takes hours.
Blue Robotics is a California-based robotics company that was launched on the heels of an effective kickstarter campaign.
Before the BlueROV2, Blue Robotics had been selling thruster motors and other marine robotics equipment to buyers in 40 countries across the world.