Around 71% of the Earth is covered by water, however, only about 5% of those waters have been explored. That’s where Blueye Robotics comes in with its X3 remotely operated vehicle (ROV) — a nautical tool that will help the U.S. military discover these new frontiers.
The X3 has been on the market since 2021 and has a proven track record. In 2022, the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea were blown up. However, at 260 feet below the surface, it was too deep for divers to inspect the damage. Instead, the X3 was used to get a closer look at the damage done.
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“We feel it’s incumbent upon those of us that have access to the sea to provide that information to the world,” James Nixon, Blueye Robotics’ international sales manager, said. “So once we had the clearance to go to that space, we provided that video and information to the world so they can make their own decision about what happened.”
The X3 provides amazing images and Blueye also built the tool to be user-friendly. The controller offers a large screen with easy-to-use features, somewhat similar to a video game controller.
“We believe that if it’s easy and dependable, you’ll use it,” Nixon said. “And that’s our ultimate goal is to have folks doing the job that they would normally do but doing it in a safer and or more efficient manner.”
The X3 is capable of reaching depths of 1,000 feet and can be fitted with an array of add-ons. The tools include everything from lights, to sonar systems, grippers and more.
“The future for us is integration of more and better accessories and sensors into this platform,” Nixon said. “So we’ve integrated grippers and sonars and cathodic potential measurement tools and metal thickness tools. The future for us is developing and integrating more tools into this device. And then as our technology roadmap grows, to maybe change the form factor to make it a little more capable in different scenarios.”
Blueye is based out of Trondheim, Norway, and is making a big splash with users around the world. The company currently has 1,100 units operating in 60 countries and has its sights set on putting its tools in the hands of the American military.
“Norway is a relatively small country have five and a half million people,” Nixon said. “But the technology that they produce is well above its weight class. And so for us, bringing the best of breed to the United States military is our mission. It is to bring a highly portable, highly capable robot to the men and women who need it the most.”
The cost of the X3 ROV is likely to make this an attractive option for potential buyers. Base models start at less than $22,000 — a relatively low-cost option for operators who want to know what’s happening in the waters around them.
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[RYAN ROBERTSON]
TIME NOW FOR OUR WEAPON OF THE WEEK AND WE’RE STICKING WITH THE NAUTICAL THEME. IF YOU CRACKED OPEN A BOOK IN MIDDLE SCHOOL YOU LIKELY KNOW THAT 71% OF THE EARTH IS COVERED BY WATER. WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW IS THAT WE’VE ONLY EXPLORED ABOUT 5% OF THOSE WATERS. THAT’S WHERE BLUEYE ROBOTICS COMES IN.
THIS IS THE X3 ROV, OR REMOTELY OPERATED VEHICLE. ON THE MARKET SINCE 2021, THE X-3 HAS A PROVEN TRACK RECORD.
IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN IT BEFORE, YOU’VE LIKELY SEEN THE RESULTS OF ITS CAPABILITIES. IN 2022 THE NORD STREAM 1 AND 2 GAS PIPELINES IN THE BALTIC SEA WERE BLOWN UP. AT 260 FEET BELOW THE SURFACE IT WAS TOO DEEP FOR DIVERS TO INSPECT THE DAMAGE, BUT NOT THE X-3, WHICH WAS USED TO GET A CLOSE LOOK AT THE DAMAGE DONE.
[James Nixon, International Sales Manager, BlueEye Robotics]
“We feel it’s incumbent upon those of us that have access to the sea to provide that information to the world. So once we had the clearance to go to that space, we provided that video and information to the world so they can make their own decision about what happened.”
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
NOT ONLY CAN THIS ROV PROVIDE AMAZING IMAGES, BUT IT’S ALSO BUILT TO BE USER-FRIENDLY. THE CONTROLLER OFFERS A LARGE SCREEN WITH EASY-TO-USE FEATURES. IF YOU’VE PLAYED HANDHELD VIDEO GAMES, ODDS ARE YOU CAN OPERATE THE X3.
[James Nixon, International Sales Manager, BlueEye Robotics]
“We believe that if it’s easy and dependable, you’ll use it. And that’s our ultimate goal is to have folks doing the job that they would normally do but doing it in a safer and or more efficient manner.”
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
CAPABLE OF REACHING DEPTHS OF 1,000 FEET THE X3 CAN BE FITTED WITH AN ARRAY OF TOOLS. FROM LIGHTS TO SONAR TO A GRIPPER JUST TO NAME A FEW.
[James Nixon, International Sales Manager, BlueEye Robotics]
“The future for us is integration of more and better accessories and sensors into this platform. So we’ve integrated grippers and sonars and cathodic potential measurement tools and metal thickness tools. The future for us is developing and integrating more tools into this device. And then as our technology roadmap grows, to maybe change the form factor to make it a little more capable in different scenarios. ”
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
BASED OUT OF TRONDHEIM, NORWAY, BLUEYE IS ALREADY MAKING A BIG SPLASH, PUN INTENDED, WITH USERS ALL OVER THE WORLD. WITH 1,100 UNITS OPERATING IN 60 COUNTRIES THEY NOW THEY HAVE THIER SIGHTS SET ON PUTTING THEIR TOOLS IN THE HANDS OF THE AMERICAN MILITARY.
[James Nixon, International Sales Manager, BlueEye Robotics]
“Norway is a relatively small country have five and a half million people. But the technology that they produce is well above its weight class. And so for us, bringing the best of breed to the United States military is our mission, it is to bring a highly portable, highly capable robot to the men and women who need it the most. ”
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
ONE THING THAT’S LIKELY TO MAKE THIS AN ATTRACTIVE OPTION FOR POTENTIAL BUYERS, PRICE. WITH BASE MODELS STARTING AT A LITTLE LESS THAN 22-K, IT’S A RELATIVELY LOW-COST OPTION FOR OPERATORS WITH A NEED TO KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE WATERS AROUND THEM.
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