BlueROV2

From $4,900

AvailableVia SSH / web / bridgeOpen sourceArduSub / BlueOS300 m (aluminum)Research standard

Possibly ≤ 1 weekShipping: Days (in-stock kits).

Remote control: Connect over the tether's Ethernet link and send MAVLink commands (e.g. pymavlink manual_control or RC overrides) to ArduSub. BlueOS also hosts custom extensions.

LEARN MORE (Official page) ↗

Overview

The default choice for anyone who wants a programmable, repairable ROV.

The low-cost, open-source ROV that became the de facto platform for university marine robotics, aquaculture inspection and hobbyist exploration. Released in 2016, it runs the open ArduSub autopilot and BlueOS on a Raspberry Pi, so everything from thruster mixing to camera streams is hackable. It ships partially assembled (6–8 h build) and is endlessly extensible with Blue Robotics' sonar, grippers and third-party payloads.

Type: Swimming robot · Developer & research ROVs/AUVs
Maker: Blue Robotics (USA)
Released: 2016
Price: From $4,900
Status: Available
Best for: Ages 18+
Programming: Open source (hardware + software)

Price and shipping

Base package on Blue Robotics' store. Tether, lights, Heavy kit, sonar etc. are extra

Shipping: Days (in-stock kits). Ordered directly from Blue Robotics in California or from its distributors. It arrives partially assembled. Blue Robotics store ↗

Specifications

Category	Swimming robots · Developer & research ROVs/AUVs
Released	2016
Country	USA
Availability	Available
Sales	More than 3,200 sold by October 2022 Marine Technology News ↗
Programmability	Open source (hardware + software)
Built-in autonomy	Navigates · Goes to places on its own, such as mapped rooms, waypoints or its charging dock
LLM support	Possible via SDK · Open ArduSub autopilot accepts MAVLink commands over the tether, no built-in LLM.
MuJoCo simulation	None found · Nothing found.
NVIDIA Isaac simulation	None found · A research paper reports an Isaac model, but no public model was found.
Gazebo simulation	Official model · Official ArduSub SITL docs point to bluerov_ros_playground's Gazebo BlueROV2 model. ArduSub SITL docs ↗
Best for	Ages 18+ (estimated)
Vision sensors	Camera, Sonar / ultrasonic
Actuators	Brushless / direct-drive motors
Audio	No audio
Compute type	Raspberry Pi
Remote control	Via SSH / web / bridge
Size	457 × 338 × 254 mm, 11–12 kg with ballast and battery
Propulsion	6 T200 thrusters (4 vectored, 2 vertical), 8 with Heavy configuration
Depth rating	100 m (acrylic tubes) or 300 m (aluminum tubes)
Tether / comms	Standard 25–300 m or slim 50–200 m, Ethernet over Fathom-X interface
Camera	1080p30 low-light USB camera, 110° FOV, ±90° tilt, 2–4 × 1,500 lm Lumen lights
Sensors	6-DOF IMU, dual magnetometers, barometer, Bar30 depth/temperature, leak sensor, current/voltage sensing, sonar and DVL add-ons
Runtime	~2 h normal / ~4 h light use (15.6 Ah battery, 30-s swap)
Speed	1.5 m/s (3 kn)
Compute	Raspberry Pi 4 (2 GB) + Navigator autopilot running BlueOS / ArduSub
SDK	ArduSub (MAVLink), BlueOS extensions, pymavlink, QGroundControl / Cockpit, ROS drivers (community)