Blueye RoboticsUnderwater
Blueye X1
Compact underwater ROV for inspection, research, and education
From $8,495 · RaaS n/a
Made by Blueye Robotics
Blueye Robotics Norwegian-engineered underwater drones for inspection and research
Blueye Robotics builds the world's most accessible professional underwater ROV — the X1, X3, and Pro models bring research-grade underwater inspection capability to maritime, infrastructure, aquaculture, and university research teams that could never afford traditional ROVs.
2015
Founded · Trondheim, Norway
4
Models we carry
3
Underwater · Inspection · Research
About the brand
Who is Blueye Robotics?
Blueye Robotics was founded in 2015 in Trondheim, Norway as a spinoff from NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology). The company built the world's first truly accessible professional underwater drone, with the X1, X3, and Pro models opening up underwater inspection and research to operators who could never justify the $100K+ price tag of traditional work-class ROVs. Blueye is the underwater equivalent of what Unitree did for legged robotics.
Blueye Robotics
What we deploy from Blueye
Blueye RoboticsUnderwater
Blueye X3
Mid-size ROV with extended depth rating and modular payload bay
From $14,995 · RaaS n/a
Blueye RoboticsUnderwater
Blueye Pro
Professional ROV for commercial inspection and survey work
From $22,500 · RaaS n/a
Blueye RoboticsResearch
Blueye X1 Mini ROV (Research)
X1 configured for university research with SDK access
From $9,995 · RaaS n/a
Why us
Why we partner with Blueye
01
Professional ROV at one-tenth the price
Work-class ROVs traditionally start at $100K. Blueye X1 at $8,495 brings real underwater inspection to operators who could never afford traditional gear. Aquaculture, hull inspection, marine research.
02
Norwegian marine engineering pedigree
Blueye is a spinoff from NTNU, one of the world's top marine engineering programs. The build quality and engineering rigor are head-and-shoulders above the consumer underwater drone alternatives.
03
Open SDK for research
Blueye publishes a developer SDK, ROS integration, and customizable mission planning. University ocean engineering labs run Blueye for real research.
Trusted by
Operators that run Blueye with RobotLAB
Marine research labs (oceanography, marine biology)
Aquaculture operators (fish farm inspection)
Hull and dock inspection contractors
Bridge and infrastructure inspection teams
Public safety dive teams
“Blueye is the underwater Unitree — research-grade capability without the institutional price tag.”
E
Elad Inbar
CEO and Founder, RobotLAB
Where it works
Blueye Robotics in the wild
Questions & answers
Long-form Q&A: deploying Blueye underwater
Real questions from aquaculture, inspection, and research operators.
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Can Blueye really do commercial hull inspection?
Yes for routine hull cleaning checks, in-water survey, and crack and corrosion assessment. Not a substitute for ABS-rated dry-dock inspection, but a major efficiency win for between-dry-dock checks.
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How does the live video quality compare to GoPro underwater housing?
Better. 1080p live HD with low-light tuning, professional underwater LED lighting, and a tether (not Bluetooth) so signal is reliable. GoPros are a poor substitute for working ROV video.
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What is the runtime per dive?
2-4 hours per charge depending on thruster use. Battery is integrated; pull the ROV out, swap battery, back in the water in minutes.
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Can Blueye operate in moving water (rivers, tidal)?
Yes, within current limits. X3 and Pro handle up to 2 knots of current; X1 is limited to about 1 knot. Bridge and dam inspection in moderate current is a common use case.
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Does it work in salt and fresh water?
Both. Standard marine corrosion protection on all units. Post-dive freshwater rinse is recommended after saltwater use.
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What about ROV with manipulator arm?
Optional gripper attachment for X3 and Pro. Suitable for object recovery and light intervention work; not for production manipulation tasks.
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Can university research labs really use this for ocean engineering?
Yes. Multiple NTNU and US university ocean engineering programs use Blueye for live research. SDK access lets students modify mission planning and control loops.
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How is the tether managed?
Tether comes on a deck reel with neutral buoyancy. Standard tether length is 75m (X1) to 250m (Pro). Tether snags are rare with proper deployment technique.
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What about salmon farm or aquaculture use cases?
Aquaculture is one of Blueye’s biggest customer segments. Daily net inspection, fish health monitoring, mortality removal, and infrastructure checks. Norwegian salmon industry roots show in the use-case fit.
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What is the warranty?
One-year Blueye manufacturer warranty plus extended RobotLAB plans. Crash and water-damage coverage available as add-ons.