Preparing the published article.
Blueye Robotics: Underwater ROVs for Inspection and Survey Work
Blueye supplies tethered underwater ROVs with configurable imaging, sonar and sensing equipment. Compare X3 Ultra and X7, model-specific depth ratings, inspection records and deployment requirements.
Company and underwater inspection focus
Blueye Robotics develops remotely operated underwater vehicles and supporting software. Its official overview presents portable systems for observing and inspecting assets below the surface. These ROVs are operated from the surface through a tether; underwater inspection should be scoped around the vehicle, communications, instruments and resulting evidence.
Research reviewed: 10 September 2026. Blueye's 19 May 2026 announcement introduced X7, X3 Ultra and Blueye Cloud. This profile distinguishes the newer systems from older X3, Pro and Pioneer examples still described in historical articles.
X3 Ultra and model-specific depth ratings
The X3 Ultra page describes a compact ROV with a 4K camera, three guest ports and a maximum rated depth of 305 metres. It offers connections for external equipment, while batteries, tethers, controllers and transport cases are selected as part of a package.
Ask for the complete configured system and its permitted operating envelope. A vehicle depth rating is not a guarantee that every connected sensor, tether termination or accessory has the same rating. Confirm the operating depth of the weakest included component and the conditions attached to its use.
The supplier's battery runtime depends on the battery option and operating conditions. Plan the working dive using actual thruster demand, sensors, current and reserve capacity, including the return and recovery phase. Do not treat advertised maximum endurance as productive inspection time in every location.
X7 is a separate platform
The Blueye X7 page specifies seven thrusters, seven guest ports, a 500-metre maximum rated depth and six degrees of freedom. It lists dual batteries and optional topside power. These are X7 specifications; the 500-metre rating must not be transferred to X3 Ultra or other Blueye models.
The page offers an information package for the new platform. Request the current delivery schedule, supported payload combinations and commissioning arrangements for the intended country. A product announcement or published specification alone does not establish immediate local availability or prove performance in the buyer's current and visibility conditions.
Sonar, positioning and other payloads
Blueye's accessory catalogue includes sonar, positioning equipment, grippers, lights and measurement instruments. These are selectable items, not a statement that all are included with every ROV. Confirm connector, power, buoyancy and mounting requirements for the chosen combination.
The Oculus M750d integration page describes multibeam viewing through the Blueye application for X3 Ultra and X7. Sonar can provide information when camera visibility is poor, but recognizing a target still requires interpretation and an appropriate survey method.
Blueye distinguishes GPS position at the surface from underwater positioning using additional equipment such as DVL or acoustic systems. Define whether the deliverable needs an image, a repeatable location, a dimensional survey or a physical sample. Those requirements drive different sensors and validation procedures.
Inspection records and Blueye Cloud
The Blueye Cloud introduction describes organizing missions and media, sharing project records and producing reports. It identifies optional AI assistance and distinguishes features available with the Pro plan. Confirm the plan, storage, export and access arrangements needed for the inspection workflow.
Retain original footage and measurement records alongside annotations. If an AI-assisted report is used, assign a qualified reviewer to check its statements against the source material before delivery. A generated report does not independently verify an underwater defect, an asset's condition or the quality of a measurement.
Agree the naming of assets and dive locations before fieldwork. Test whether the owner can replay evidence, find the relevant moment in a video and compare later inspections. Define how incomplete visibility, positioning uncertainty and uninspected areas will appear in the final record.
Dated evidence from a tunnel survey
A 23 May 2025 technical account describes using an older Blueye X3 with an Imagenex 831L pipe-profiling sonar at the Dora submarine base in Trondheim. It explains collecting cross-sections and reconstructing a point cloud of an underwater tunnel.
This is a documented example of a particular sensor integration and processing workflow. It does not establish that a standard camera-only package produces the same survey, or that the later X7 and X3 Ultra were used in that project. Request a comparable dataset and identify how position, distance and geometry would be checked for your site.
Questions for a procurement trial
Which model and accessories are included, with what configured depth limit?
What current, turbidity, temperature and access conditions must the system handle?
How will the tether be managed around structures, vessel traffic and snag hazards?
Which sensors locate the ROV underwater, and what uncertainty is acceptable?
Who operates, retrieves and maintains the system, including during a failed dive?
What evidence must each inspection produce, and who reviews the findings?
Which software subscriptions, spare batteries, repairs and local support are covered?
Test the complete operation from launch through recovery and reporting. Measure useful inspection coverage, stable viewing time, data quality and the effort needed to handle exceptions. A supplier example does not establish acceptance by a vessel owner, survey organization or other party for a different inspection.
Official contact and related reading
Use the official Blueye contact page for a scoped demonstration or quotation. Supply the country, target assets, water conditions, depth and required output. Confirm the model, configured equipment, delivery terms and support responsibilities in writing.
Agricultural, aerial and underwater robots directory · Write a Robotics Buyer Brief · Robotics RFQ
Zhilianhai provides source-based research and enquiry routing. This profile is not a supplier endorsement, certification, quotation or purchase commitment.