BlueROV2

BlueROV2 operating with ArduSub control software
Class overview
NameBlueROV2
BuildersBlue Robotics
Built2016
General characteristics
TypeRemotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV)
Displacement12 kg (26 lb)
Length45 cm (18 in)
DepthUp to 100 m (330 ft) (standard) ; up to 300 m (980 ft) (extended)
Installed powerLithium-ion battery
PropulsionSix or eight thrusters (vectored configuration)
NotesTethered control via surface computer/tablet

BlueROV2 is a modular remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) developed by the American marine robotics company Blue Robotics. It was released in 2016 as a low-cost platform with open-source control software for underwater research, inspection, and educational applications.

BlueROV2 has been used as an open-source platform in academic marine robotics research and has been described, alongside OpenROV, as part of a shift toward lower-cost underwater vehicles for researchers, small organizations, and hobbyists.

Design and architecture

BlueROV2 is built around a modular frame that supports integration of cameras, sonar, robotic grippers, and additional scientific instruments.

The vehicle is configured with six thrusters to enable maneuvering in all directions. It is controlled via a tether connected to a surface computer or tablet running open-source control software.

The onboard electronics are based on a Raspberry Pi, which serves as the main controller and is typically connected to a front-facing camera, with support for additional sensors such as an inertial measurement unit (IMU).

Applications

BlueROV2 and Steam Deck

Academic research

In 2020–2025, the platform has been used in academic research to develop low-cost autonomous underwater systems, including open-source hardware and software extensions for vision-based SLAM, dynamic simulation models, and experimental benchmarking of machine-learning methods for vision-based position locking in real-world underwater environments.

The BlueROV2 has also been adopted in marine science and underwater archaeology, where it is used for underwater observation, documentation, and environmental data collection.

Industrial use

BlueROV2 has been used in aquaculture and offshore infrastructure inspection, including the monitoring of shellfish beds, fish stocks, anchors, and subsea installations. It has also been employed in the development and testing of autonomous navigation and sensor-fusion systems for small underwater vehicles.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Rojer, Jim; Binnerts, Bas; Maat, Danny (20 December 2022). "Subsea autonomous navigation capabilities for small-sized underwater vehicles: Towards affordable high-end solutions to direct ROVs". Hydro International.
  2. 1 2 3 Mogg, Trevor (23 June 2016). "This underwater drone lets you explore the deep blue without getting wet". Digital Trends. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  3. 1 2 Whittaker, Ashley (2024). "BlueROV2 R4". The Official Raspberry Pi Handbook 2025. Raspberry Pi Press. p. 182. ISBN 9781916868267.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Hambling, David (19 September 2016). "What Drones Did for the Sky, Robot Subs Are About to Do for the Sea". Popular Mechanics.
  5. 1 2 3 Bräunl, Thomas (2022). Embedded Robotics: From Mobile Robots to Autonomous Vehicles with Raspberry Pi and Arduino. Springer Nature Singapore. p. 244. ISBN 978-981-16-0804-9.
  6. ↑ "Low-Cost, Open-Source Hovering Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (HAUV) for Marine Robotics Research based on the BlueROV2". 2020 IEEE/OES Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Symposium (AUV). St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada: IEEE. 2020. doi:10.1109/AUV50043.2020.9267913.
  7. ↑ von Benzon, Malte; Sørensen, Fredrik Fogh; Uth, Esben; Jouffroy, Jerome; Liniger, Jesper; Pedersen, Simon (2022). "An Open-Source Benchmark Simulator: Control of a BlueROV2 Underwater Robot". Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 10 (12) 1898. MDPI. doi:10.3390/jmse10121898.
  8. ↑ Safa, Ali; Aman, Waqas; Al-Zawqari, Ali; Al-Kuwari, Saif (2025). "Benchmarking Online Object Trackers for Underwater Robot Position Locking Applications". IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering. 50 (4). IEEE: 2770–2781. doi:10.1109/JOE.2025.3590074.
  9. ↑ Qiao, Chen; Zhou, Huiyu; Wu, Lianghong; Zhou, Yimin, eds. (2022). Intelligent Control and Applications for Robotics. Frontiers Media SA. p. 53. ISBN 978-2-8325-0095-8.