Tariffs

In mid-2025, the US put tariffs on a wide range of goods imported to the USA. This means that US companies and consumers pay significantly more for products that they buy from outside the US.

We firmly disagree with these tariffs. While we assemble our products in the US, we rely on parts from around the world (and many from the US) to make that possible. In particular, we are most affected by tariffs on goods from China (~60% tariff), Norway (~15% tariff), and the United Kingdom (~10% tariff).

The Ocean is Global

Our mission to enable marine robotics is, by definition, a global one, and these tariffs do nothing but harm us, our customers, and the future of our oceans.

We’re doing everything we can to minimize the impact, keeping the following values in mind:

• We will only increase prices by the amount our cost is increased or less
• We will prioritize product quality, which means using the best vendors for each part
• We will make sure that we can continue to be successful and achieve our mission

All Customers: A Small Price Increase

Thanks to our customs drawback process, we’re able to recover the majority of the duties paid on parts that are later exported. This means that, for now, our international customers will only see a small price increase of 5-6% on most products. This represents the portion of tariffs that we are not able to recover.

U.S. Customers: A Surcharge Ahead

In addition to the price increase, we have implemented a tariff surcharge on orders shipped within the United States. This surcharge represents the tariff cost impact. The surcharge is clearly indicated on the relevant product pages and in your cart at checkout.

Some organizations, such as universities, may hold duty-free status, which can exempt them from paying government-imposed taxes. However, this status does not extend to vendor-applied fees. At Blue Robotics, our tariff surcharge is not a government duty, it is a company policy designed to offset the government-imposed tariff costs that we are required to pay on imported goods. Because of this, the surcharge applies to all U.S. customers equally, regardless of duty-free status.

Assembled in the U.S.

We take pride in assembling our products in our own community, employing a dedicated manufacturing team of around 30 people. Our commitment to local production ensures quality and supports local jobs. However, the introduction of tariffs presents challenges, and we want to be upfront about how these changes might affect our pricing.

As always, please let us know if you have any questions!

The post How We’re Handling Tariffs appeared first on Blue Robotics.

Abstract: A practical method for identifying the propeller model and inertia matrix of a marine Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) is proposed in this work. Special attention is paid to limiting the instrumentation requirements. Based on a generic grey-box dynamic modelling addressing the considered catamaran-shaped ASV architecture, the static/dynamic behaviour of both propellers and the vessel dynamic are jointly estimated using the sole measurements of position, heading, and propellers pulse width modulation (PWM) signals. No accelerometer is required. Two distinct grey-box configurations involving either a static polynomial or a dynamic modelling of each propeller are proposed and compared. The resulting ASV identification methodology is shown to provide insight into the whole vessel inertial characteristics, which are key enablers in the development of autonomous navigation and control systems. Model validation was performed using data collected from the reported experiments. Model prediction errors related to both linear velocities and yaw rate are evaluated and compared based on given metrics. The results underscore the robustness and accuracy of the identified models in capturing the essential dynamics of the ASV, with a determination coefficient that consistently exceeds 0.94 for all estimated velocities.

Authors: Morel, T.; Orihuela, L.; Combastel, C.; Bejarano, G.

Journal: Ocean Engineering

To read more, click here!

The post Practical identification approach for the actuation dynamics of autonomous surface vehicles with minimal instrumentation appeared first on Blue Robotics.

Abstract: Underwater environments pose significant challenges for visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) systems due to limited visibility, inadequate illumination, and sporadic loss of structural features in images. Addressing these challenges, this paper introduces a novel, tightly-coupled Acoustic-Visual-Inertial SLAM approach, termed AQUA-SLAM, to fuse a Doppler Velocity Log (DVL), a stereo camera, and an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) within a graph optimization framework. Moreover, we propose an efficient sensor calibration technique, encompassing multi-sensor extrinsic calibration (among the DVL, camera and IMU) and DVL transducer misalignment calibration, with a fast linear approximation procedure for real-time online execution. The proposed methods are extensively evaluated in a tank environment with ground truth, and validated for offshore applications in the North Sea. The results demonstrate that our method surpasses current state-ofthe-art underwater and visual-inertial SLAM systems in terms of localization accuracy and robustness. The proposed system will be made open-source for the community.

Authors: Shida Xu, S., Zhang, K., Wang, S.

Journal: arXiv

To read more, click here!

The post AQUA-SLAM: Tightly-Coupled Underwater Acoustic-Visual-Inertial SLAM with Sensor Calibration appeared first on Blue Robotics.

Another new product announcement and this one’s been a long time coming! We’ve added an RGB LED to our lineup of subsea indicators. This one uses a WS2812B RGB LED, commonly known as a NeoPixel LED, and can produce over 16 million colors. It’s depth rated to 1000 meters like our other indicators and is compatible with all major WS2812B software libraries.

For Navigator Flight Controller users out there, it’s also plug and play compatible with the Navigator’s RGB output header, so you can always see the status light from outside the vehicle.

It’s available now, check out the product page and user guide for all the information.

Sea ya!

The post New Product! The Subsea RGB LED Indicator appeared first on Blue Robotics.

We have another product joining the Reef from our friends at Cerulean Sonar, the Omniscan 450 FS Imaging Sonar.

When purchased from the Reef, it comes with a mounting bracket and all hardware required to mount it on the BlueROV2. You’ll also need an Ethernet Switch to complete the integration. Check out the integration guide for more information.

It’s available starting today. Visit the product page and watch the video below for all the details.

The post New on the Reef: Cerulean Omniscan 450 FS Imaging Sonar appeared first on Blue Robotics.

Another product announcement for you:

BlueBoats are now available with high-visibility hull colors starting today!

Find them as an option from the BlueBoat product page, or the BlueBoat Components page if you just want the hulls by themselves.

Also,

BlueBoat kits are now shipping with extra “fixed-frame” hardware included. This is optional hardware that can be used to replace the clamp levers and make the BlueBoat non-foldable. Instructions for this conversion are available in the BlueBoat assembly guide.

Sea ya!

The post High-Visibility BlueBoat Colors Available Now appeared first on Blue Robotics.

Abstract: Currently, underwater mines and unexploded ordnance represent a persistent threat to maritime navigation and the environment. In submarine warfare, detecting such objects is particularly challenging, especially when they are abandoned and buried under sand. To address this issue, mine countermeasures have been developed that take advantage of various technologies, including acoustic and electromagnetic waves.

Recently, new modeling approaches for ground penetrating radar (GPR) have led to significant advancements in the detection of buried landmines. The aim of this work is therefore to adapt the GPR methodology to enhance the detection and classification of underwater targets using sonar systems.

To achieve this, laboratory experiments were conducted to simulate various scenarios involving a sonar sensor, a sediment layer, and various targets. Particular attention was given to understanding the measurements and pre-processing steps specific to the sensor.

Subsequently, extensive numerical simulations were performed to validate and compare the results obtained experimentally. This comparison involved introducing the concept of a perfect acoustic reflector (PAR), which is useful for retrieving the transfer functions of the sonar-hydrophone-multilayered media system.

These experiments highlighted both the limitations and potential of the model for analyzing realistic scenarios. Technical limitations such as the size of the water tank and sensor limitations, posed challenges to fully achieving the objectives. Despite these difficulties, the results contribute to a deeper understanding of acoustic propagation mechanisms and pave the way for future optimizations in underwater detection applications by using the approach of adapting the GPR methodology.

Authors:: Pirot, L.

Journal: UCLouvain

To read more, click here!

The post Detection of Underwater Mines Using Sonar appeared first on Blue Robotics.

New product announcement for you. RAILS is a modular electronics tray system that makes it easy to mount hardware and electronics in a Watertight Enclosure.

I could blab on about RAILS some more but why not watch this cool video instead:

RAILS is available now, take a look at the product page and user guide for more info.

BONUS: Along with RAILS, grab yourself some Tray Accessory Mounting Screws to help mount your components to the trays.

And in case you missed it, we also released a new version of the 2″ series flange cap with eight M6 holes for M6 bulkheads (plus one M10 hole).

Sea ya!

The post Level Up Your Watertight Enclosures with RAILS: the Really Awesome Internal Layout System appeared first on Blue Robotics.

Abstract: Improvements to ArduSub for the BlueROV2 (BROV2) Heavy, necessary for accurate simulation and autonomous controller design, were implemented and validated in this work. The simulation model was made more accurate with new data obtained from real-world testing and values from the literature. The manual control algorithm in the BROV2 firmware was replaced with one compatible with automatic control. In a Robot Operating System (ROS), a proportional–derivative (PD) controller to assist augmented reality (AR) pilots in controlling angular degrees of freedom (DOF) of the vehicle was implemented. Open-loop testing determined the yaw hydrodynamic model of the vehicle. A general mathematical method to determine PD gains as a function of the desired closed-loop performance was outlined. Testing was carried out in the updated simulation environment. Step response testing found that a modified derivative gain was necessary. Comparable real-world results were obtained using settings determined in the simulation environment. Frequency response testing of the modified yaw control law discovered that the bandwidth of the nonlinear system had a one-to-one correspondence with the desired closed-loop natural frequency of a simplified linear approximation. The control law was generalized for angular DOF and linear DOF were operated with open-loop control. A full six-DOF simulated dive demonstrated excellent tracking.

Authors:: Ng, P.; Krieg, M.

Journal: Applied Sciences on MDPI

To read more, click here!

The post Modifications to ArduSub That Improve BlueROV SITL Accuracy and Design of Hybrid Autopilot appeared first on Blue Robotics.

Abstract: Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) are marine submersible robots that serve a variety of purposes in industry and research. These unmanned vessels harness human judgment and precision to perform tasks within extreme environments like the deep sea, polar, and volcanic regions of the ocean. Some examples of their usages are to survey the ocean floor, maintain pipelines and collect scientific data in the form of sediment and hydrothermal vent plume samples and optical observations of marine wildlife. Training of ROV pilots is typically very expensive and time-consuming because of the highly specialized skill requirements. A novel system was proposed by collaborators from the University of Florida (UF) and the University of Hawai‘i at M¯anoa (UHM) for piloting ROVs with an intuitive augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR) interface that uses a hybrid autopilot. To demonstrate the feasibility of this system the group at UHM altered the ArduSub firmware of the commercially available BlueROV2 (BROV2) Heavy to enable model-based quantitative control. Error feedback control for the hybrid autopilot was implemented using Robot Operating System (ROS) in a modular manner that enabled various levels of autonomy to assist ROV pilots. Alongside the development of the custom firmware and hybrid autopilot, the software-in-the-loop (SITL) simulation environment was also updated with an experimentally determined hydrodynamic model using onboard sensorbased system identification techniques. As much as sixty percent improvement of relative error when predicting vehicle behavior compared to the original SITL model. The calibration process of the hybrid autopilot involved iteratively cycling between SITL and water tank testing. It was demonstrated that this procedure was an effective method for achieving precision control of the BROV2.

Author: Ng, P.

Journal: University of Hawai’i at Manoa

To read more, click here!

The post Marine Vehicle Characterization and Implementing Various Levels of Autonomy appeared first on Blue Robotics.