Side by side
Deep Trekker PHOTON vs Oceanbotics SRV-8C
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.
| Deep Trekker PHOTON | Oceanbotics SRV-8C | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | underwater_rov | underwater_rov |
| Sold as collaborative | no | no |
| Applications listed | dive_search, underwater_inspection | dive_search, underwater_inspection |
| Weight | 11.8 kg | not published |
| Sensors | 4K rotating camera, LED lighting, optional Oculus C550d sonar, photogrammetry ready | 4K camera, 3,000 lumen lighting, plug and play accessory ports: sonar, USBL, grabber |
| Specs checked | 2026-09-07 | 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
Deep Trekker PHOTON. Micro ROV for quick inspections and search: 120 m depth rating, 11.8 kg in air, six thrusters, rotating 4K camera with 200 degree view, tether to 300 m, optional Oculus C550d sonar. Manufacturer specification.
Oceanbotics SRV-8C. Compact SRV launched July 2026: 305 m depth rating, 4K video, 3,000 lumens, up to 4 hours a charge, a one person carry on that deploys in under 3 minutes, SubNav OS and the same plug and play accessory ports as the SRV-8 line (sonar, USBL, grabber). Weight unpublished. Manufacturer specification.
Also on the shortlist for dive_search
- Deep Trekker DTG3
- Deep Trekker PIVOT
- Deep Trekker REVOLUTION
- Deep Trekker SPECTRA
- JW Fishers SeaLion-3
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.