Side by side
Blue Robotics BlueROV2 vs Oceanbotics SRV-8
Two underwater_rovs a buyer shopping for dive_search would honestly weigh against each other, with the manufacturer-published figures in one table and a plain reading of what the differences mean on a floor. We sell across brands, so we have no reason to tilt it.
| Blue Robotics BlueROV2 | Oceanbotics SRV-8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | underwater_rov | underwater_rov |
| Payload | 1.2 kg (3 lb) | not published |
| Sold as collaborative | no | no |
| Applications listed | dive_search, underwater_inspection | dive_search, underwater_inspection |
| Runtime | 2 h | not published |
| Weight | 11 kg | 18.6 kg |
| Sensors | 1080p 30fps HD camera, 110 degree horizo, Bar30 depth and pressure sensor, 6 DOF IMU and dual magnetometers, integrated leak sensor, Lumen lights up to 6000 lumens, optional sonar via third party integrati | 4K camera, 2 x 3,000 lumen lights, multibeam imaging and profiling sonar options, USBL positioning and DVL options, UT thickness gauge and cathodic protection probe options, two and three jaw grabbers, Alpha X manipulator options |
| Specs checked | 2026-08-22 | 2026-10-19 |
Every figure is a manufacturer-published claim, checked on the date shown against the maker's own material, and not one of them survives contact with your part, your rate and your floor without an applications review. Prices are deliberately absent: quotes are prepared by our team and confirmed with the manufacturer.
What the numbers mean on the floor
- Neither is sold as collaborative. Both need guarding and an integrator's risk assessment before a person shares the floor with them.
- Both are listed for dive_search, underwater_inspection.
What a spec sheet cannot tell you
The gripper, the fixture and the integrator decide more of the outcome than the arm. Cycle time on your part is a test, not a datasheet figure. Service footprint, spare parts and who answers the phone at 2 AM differ by brand and by state. And the price difference between two arms in the same class is usually smaller than the difference between two integrators' quotes for the same cell. A model number is not a specification, and the gripper is the project.
From our matrix
Blue Robotics BlueROV2. Low cost open source observation class ROV, six thrusters expandable to eight in Heavy Configuration, by far the cheapest credible entry point for a dive team. Price published on the Blue Robotics... Manufacturer specification.
Oceanbotics SRV-8. Eight thruster inspection ROV built in Irvine, California: 350 m depth rating, 18.6 kg without batteries, 4K camera, two 3,000 lumen lights, up to 8 hours a charge on hot-swappable batteries or unlimited on the Topside Power System, copper tether up to 300 m standard or fiber optic beyond 3 km, SubNav OS. Plug and play accessories from the maker: multibeam imaging sonar, profiling sonar, USBL positioning, DVL, ultrasonic thickness gauge, cathodic protection probe, auxiliary HD pipe camera, two and three jaw grabbers, sediment sampler, cutter, Alpha X manipulator. Manufacturer specification.
Also on the shortlist for dive_search
- Deep Trekker DTG3
- Deep Trekker PHOTON
- Deep Trekker PIVOT
- Deep Trekker REVOLUTION
- Deep Trekker SPECTRA
Ask about these two for your job
Free, about two minutes, no phone number. Joe will tell you which belongs on your shortlist, what beats both, and what has to be true for the math to work.