Torrance startup, Blue Robotics, has released a new underwater drone, the BlueROV2, presented as high-performance and affordable solution for ocean exploration and study.

“From day one, our goal has been to make marine robotics accessible to more people and businesses than ever before,” said the company’s founder, Rustom Jehangir.

It provides a platform to attach scientific equipment, film cinematographic quality shots, and explore the oceans down to a depth of 100 meters.

The BlueROV2 comes in a number of different configurations, with a standard kit costing just around $3000. “We’re able to make the BlueROV2 at a fraction of the cost of similar vehicles thanks to many of the same technologies that have made aerial drones affordable,” said Jehangir.

The price of the BlueROV2 should enable wider use of subsea vehicles for many people including universities, research organizations, small businesses, hobbyists, and first responders.

According to the company, first ROVs should be ready to ship in August this year.