Uncrewed Surface Vessel
BlueBoat
Autonomous Survey.
Any Mission. Any Range.
A capable, foldable catamaran USV engineered for long-duration autonomous survey, monitoring, and data collection. GPS waypoint navigation, up to 220 km range, 15 kg payload — ready for Cerulean Sonar multibeam and imaging sensors.
Endurance is batteries.
And we can actually ship them.
Every hour of BlueBoat survey time is a 14.8 V 18 Ah Li-ion pack: one gives ~9 h and ~30 km, six give ~48 h and ~170 km. Each pack is 266 Wh — far above the 100 Wh air-freight threshold — so they always travel as Class 9 dangerous goods: UN3480 on their own, UN3481 packed together with the vessel. A six-pack survey fit-out is roughly 1,600 Wh of restricted freight in one crate.
That is not freight anyone can simply put in a box and send — it takes certified packaging, a shipper’s declaration, trained personnel and a carrier that accepts Class 9, which is exactly why the batteries are worth buying from someone set up for it. We hold the genuine Blue Robotics packs in EU stock, dispatch them within 48 hours, and ship them with the vessel under UN3481 as a certified dangerous-goods shipper — one order, one delivery, charger included.
Choose your mission. Configure from there.
Complete ready-to-deploy packages for the most common BlueBoat missions — click any to pre-fill the configurator below.
Adjust to Your Exact Needs
Start from a mission package above or build from scratch. All prices in EUR — we confirm exact pricing, delivery, and import duties in your quote.
Your Configuration
Indicative EUR pricing · Click any selection to remove it
We ship to Europe and worldwide. Batteries are held in EU stock and dispatched within 48 hours. Your quote confirms exact pricing, delivery timeline, and any applicable import duties.
Two hulls, two hatches, and nothing you can't open
The BlueBoat is deliberately made of parts. Pick a view, then a marker — every hull, bracket, bushing and O-ring is a catalogue item with a number, because a survey boat that can't be repaired on a quayside isn't a survey boat.
Structure
Port hatch lid
Each hull is closed by its own latched lid, so a flood in one never reaches the other — the boat comes home on the remaining hull. The port lid is the spare-capacity side: batteries, and whatever your payload needs to stay dry.
- Twoindependent hulls
- Latchedno tools to open
✓ In the kit
Electronics
Starboard hatch lid — the brain
The autopilot lives in the lid, not the hull: Raspberry Pi 4, Navigator Flight Controller, GPS and the WiFi radio, all on one removable assembly. Swap the lid and you have swapped the whole computer — on a boat, in the field, in minutes.
- Pi 4+ Navigator FC
- ArduRoveron BlueOS
✓ In the kit
Comms
Antenna and accessory mast
Height is range. The mast lifts the 2.4 GHz antenna clear of the water so the link reaches 250 m as standard, and it doubles as the mounting point for a 4G antenna, a strobe or a safety flag.
- 250 mstandard WiFi range
- 800 m+with a directional antenna
Optional add-on
Structure
Crossbars and crosstube
The two hulls are joined by a perforated aluminium frame, drilled along its whole length. That is the payload deck — bolt a sonar, an RTK mast or a winch anywhere on it — and it is what folds so the boat fits in a car.
- 120×93cm deployed
- 120×71cm folded
✓ In the kit
Hull
Rotomoulded catamaran hulls
A catamaran is stable at rest, which is what a survey platform actually needs — no roll to smear a sonar swath. The hulls are rotomoulded polyethylene, so a quayside knock dents them instead of cracking them, and they come in four colours.
- 14.5kg all-in
- 15 kgpayload capacity
✓ In the kit
Mounting
Hull mount bushings
The row of holes down each hull is the point. They are threaded mounting bushings, so a transducer, a bracket or a skid bolts straight to the hull — no drilling, no adhesive, no warranty argument.
- Threadedno drilling
- 6 pcsper spare set
✓ In the kit
Propulsion
M200 motor and weedless propeller
One motor per hull, which is how the boat turns — differential thrust, no rudder to jam. The yellow propellers are the weedless design: they shed weed and line instead of wrapping it, the single most common way a small survey boat ends a day early.
- 8.2kgf static thrust
- 6 kntop speed (3 m/s)
✓ Two in the kit
Propulsion
Weedless propeller
Two blades, swept hard back. It gives up a little efficiency against the standard propeller and buys something worth far more on a fouled waterway: it does not collect weed. In yellow, so you can see from the bank that it is still turning.
- 2-bladeswept, weed-shedding
- €17to replace
✓ In the kit
Propulsion
Motor mount
The motor hangs off a moulded bracket at the stern, outboard of the hull and clear of the keel line. It unbolts, so a motor swap is a bench job — and the mount is the sacrificial part if you do hit something.
- Bolt-offfield serviceable
- Outboardclear of the keel
✓ In the kit
Sealing
Hatch base and latches
The base is bonded into the hull and the lid clamps onto it. Everything that wears — the O-ring, the latches — is a separate part you can buy, which is the difference between a boat that stays watertight for years and one that leaks after a season.
- ClampedO-ring seal
- −25 to 40°C operating
✓ In the kit
Mounting
Keel-line mounting points
Seen from the side, the mounting bushings run the length of the hull below the waterline — which is exactly where a single-beam echosounder, a side-scan or a multibeam wants to be. Mount once, survey straight.
- Belowthe waterline
- Bolt-ontransducer mounts
✓ In the kit
Hull
Hull profile and freeboard
A fine entry forward and a long flat run aft: it tracks a survey line straight and does not slam. The freeboard is what lets it work in sea state 2–3 — and at 14.5 kg all-in, one person still launches it off a quayside.
- Sea state2–3 capable
- 30–220km per charge
✓ In the kit
Sealing
Cable glands on the lid
Every wire into the hull passes through a gland in the lid — motor, payload, charge lead. Blanks come fitted, so adding a sonar later means swapping a blank for a gland with a wrench rather than sending the boat anywhere.
- Blanksfitted as standard
- Wrenchserviceable
✓ In the kit
Access
Over-centre latches
Two latches per lid, opened by hand. No screws to drop in the water, no tool to forget on the dock — which means people actually do the pre-launch check instead of skipping it.
- Handno tools
- 2 per lidover-centre
✓ In the kit
Sealing
Hatch O-ring
A €12 part is all that stands between the electronics and the lake. It is a consumable — inspect it before every deployment, grease it, and carry a spare. Blue Robotics sells it separately precisely because you will replace it.
- €12consumable
- Per lidone seal
✓ In the kit
Survey-grade autonomy without a survey-grade budget
Crewed survey launches, manned boats and traditional USVs are expensive, heavy and slow to mobilise. The BlueBoat removes those barriers.
💸 Vessel cost
A crewed survey launch costs a fortune per day. One person can car-transport, launch and run a BlueBoat survey from the shore.
🌿 Weed & debris
Conventional props foul in vegetation. The swept hull geometry and weedless propellers shed weeds and debris that would stop other craft.
🚚 Transport & setup
Trailers and cranes slow you down. The hull folds flat, fits a car boot or checks in as luggage, and deploys in under a minute.
🔒 Closed platforms
Most USVs lock you to one ecosystem. BlueOS + ArduRover are open-source with serial/Ethernet/USB I/O for any payload you choose.
A survey boat that travels in your car
Portable, weather-tolerant and built around a payload bay — engineered for repeatable autonomous survey work.
Car-boot portable, deck-stable on the water
The twin hulls fold together with quick-release latches into a flat package you can lift alone, fit in a hatchback or check in on a flight. On the water, the catamaran geometry gives the steady, low-roll platform a multibeam survey needs — and pops back open for deployment in seconds.
Weedless drive that keeps going in fouling water
Two saltwater-rated M200 motors with purpose-designed weedless propellers drive the BlueBoat through weed-choked lakes, debris and shallow margins that would foul a conventional prop. Differential thrust gives precise skid-steering for tight survey lines and station holding.
15 kg of payload, up to 62 hours of it
The bay between the hulls takes 15 kg of sensors on flat mounting walls — a survey platform out of the box. Scale the battery bay from one pack (9 h / 30 km) to eight (62 h / 220 km) in the same hull, hot-swapped in the field, and power payloads from the regulated 5 V aux rail.
Turn Your BlueBoat into a Survey System
Cerulean Sonar — which we also distribute — offers the most capable and cost-effective sensors validated for the BlueBoat platform. Build a complete autonomous survey vessel from one supplier.
Surveyor 240-16 MBES — Multibeam Echosounder
The Surveyor 240-16 is the purpose-matched multibeam echosounder for the BlueBoat. 16 channels, 80° swath, 240 kHz, integrated IMU. Mount directly to the BlueBoat hull for instant survey capability. Survey 10× faster than a single-beam system. Exports to standard hydrographic formats including XYZ, LAS, and GeoTIFF.
View Surveyor 240-16 on Cerulean Sonar page →
Omniscan 450 SS-BB — Side-Scan Sonar
The Omniscan 450 SS-BB is the purpose-built side-scan sonar for the BlueBoat — with purpose-designed hull mount included. 450 kHz, up to 150m per side swath, real-time SonarView display. Ideal for object detection, habitat mapping, and pipeline surveillance from the surface.
View Omniscan 450 SS-BB on Cerulean Sonar page →Extend the BlueBoat
BaseStation
Required for BlueBoat operation. 2.4 GHz RF to the vessel, real-time telemetry display, joystick input. Standard 250m range, 800m+ with directional antenna option.
RTK GPS Upgrade
Upgrade from standard GPS to RTK for centimetre-level positioning accuracy — essential for multibeam surveys requiring accurate geo-referenced depth data.
Cellular / Satellite Modem
For beyond-line-of-sight operations, add a 4G LTE or satellite modem (e.g. RockBLOCK) to the payload bay via USB or serial. ArduRover supports MAVLink over IP natively.
Control link
BlueBoat BaseStation
The shore end of the BlueBoat. A 2.4 GHz RF link to the vessel carrying live telemetry and joystick input, in a rugged bumpered case — 250 m as standard, past 800 m with the directional antenna.
- 250 mstandard range
- 2.4 GHzlink to the boat
Tip The BlueBoat cannot be driven without one, and it is not in the boat's price — put it on the first order, not the second.
Not in the kit — required
Add it in the configurator →Beyond line of sight
BlueBoat Cellular Modem Kit
Drops into the payload bay and puts the BlueBoat on 4G LTE instead of the RF link, so the vessel can work out of sight of the shore. ArduRover speaks MAVLink over IP natively — nothing to write.
- 4G LTEcontrol link
- Payload bayUSB or serial
Tip It replaces the RF range limit, not the BaseStation — and it needs mobile coverage at the far end, so check the site before you rely on it.
Not in the kit
See all BlueBoat accessories →Browse Blue Robotics by category
Build a complete survey platform — explore the full Blue Robotics range and add what your mission needs to a quote.
Sonars & Acoustics
Surveyor multibeam, Omniscan side-scan and echosounders — the survey payloads for the BlueBoat.
Thrusters & Motors
M200 motors and weedless propellers — the BlueBoat drivetrain and spares.
Sensors & Cameras
Water-quality, temperature and camera payloads for monitoring and inspection runs.
Enclosures & Buoyancy
WTE enclosures, penetrators and hardware for custom payloads in the bay.
All Accessories & Parts
The complete catalogue — BaseStation, batteries, antennas, spares and more.
Mission Planning with ArduRover
The BlueBoat runs ArduRover — the same field-proven autonomy stack used in ground vehicles, boats, and airboats worldwide. Plan missions in QGroundControl or BlueOS and let the boat do the work.
Draw a polygon. Press go. Collect the data.
Set up a complete survey from the shore: mark a survey area on the chart and ArduRover generates parallel lines at your spacing for full, systematic coverage. Telemetry, position and progress stream live to the BaseStation laptop, and the boat returns home on its own at the end of the mission — or the moment it loses signal or runs low on battery.
- Automatic survey-grid generation at custom line spacing
- Loiter / station hold for sampling and calibration
- Geo-fence keeps the vessel inside a defined boundary
- Auto return-to-home on low battery or signal loss
Survey Grid Mode
Draw a polygon in QGroundControl and the BlueBoat automatically generates parallel survey lines at your specified spacing — for complete, systematic multibeam or side-scan coverage.
Loiter & Station Hold
GPS-based station holding at a fixed position — useful for environmental monitoring deployments, sensor calibration, and holding position while reviewing data topside.
Return-to-Home & Fence
Automatic return-to-home on signal loss or low battery. Geo-fence keeps the BlueBoat within a defined boundary — essential for operating near shipping lanes or restricted zones.
Full Specifications
Performance & Physical ▾
| Max Speed | 3 m/s (approx. 6 knots) |
| Static Thrust | 8.2 kgf (both motors) |
| Payload Capacity | 15 kg |
| Hull Weight | 14.5 kg (without batteries) |
| Deployed Dimensions | 120 × 93 × 46 cm |
| Folded Dimensions | 120 × 71 × 24 cm |
| Sea State | Up to 2–3m significant wave height |
| Operating Temperature | −25 to +40°C |
Endurance & Range ▾
| 1 battery | ~9 hours / ~30 km |
| 2 batteries | ~18 hours / ~60 km |
| 4 batteries | ~36 hours / ~120 km |
| 8 batteries | ~62 hours / ~220 km |
| Battery Voltage | 12–26 VDC (4S–6S LiPo compatible) |
Propulsion ▾
| Motors | 2× Blue Robotics M200 (saltwater rated) |
| Propellers | Weedless design (3-blade, purpose-designed) |
| Drive Type | Differential thrust — skid steering |
Electronics & Software ▾
| Onboard Computer | Raspberry Pi 4 (2 GB) |
| Flight Controller | Navigator Flight Controller |
| GPS | mRobotics M10034-M9N (standard) |
| Autopilot Firmware | ArduRover (ArduPilot-based) |
| Software | BlueOS (browser-based) |
| GCS | QGroundControl / Mission Planner |
| Communications | 2.4 GHz WiFi to BaseStation; Ethernet, USB, serial payload ports |
| RF Range | 250m standard / 800m+ directional |
Power ▾
| Input Voltage | 12–26 VDC |
| Motor Fuse | 60A MIDI fuse (per motor) |
| System Fuse | 150A MIDI fuse (main) |
| Aux Power | 5V 5A regulated output for payload |
Where the BlueBoat works
From hydrographic surveys to long-duration environmental monitoring, the BlueBoat is deployed worldwide by teams who need autonomous, scalable surface operations.
Hydrographic Survey
Chart harbours, channels and waterways with single-beam or multibeam echosounders and standard hydrographic export formats.
Bathymetric Mapping
Lakes, rivers, reservoirs and coastal zones — systematic depth mapping from a stable, low-roll catamaran platform.
Environmental Monitoring
Carry water-quality probes and samplers on long transects; 4G/satellite links enable remote, unattended runs.
Object Detection (Side-Scan)
High-resolution side-scan imagery for search, debris and target detection across the seabed.
Aquaculture Monitoring
Survey sites, moorings and the seabed around farms without a crewed boat or diver in the water.
Marine Research
An open, affordable autonomous platform for oceanography, limnology and robotics research programmes.
Port & Harbour Survey
Berth-pocket and approach-channel surveys close to infrastructure, where a crewed launch is impractical.
Pipeline & Cable Survey
Route survey and surveillance with side-scan and multibeam over submerged pipelines and cables.
BlueBoat datasheet & specifications
Download the official BlueBoat datasheet, or pick a mission package and request a complete EUR quote with the right sensor and battery configuration.
Request BlueBoat Pricing
Tell us your mission profile and battery requirement — we will prepare a complete EUR quote, including BaseStation, Cerulean Sonar sensors, and any additional accessories.
Request a Quote — BlueBoat
Select your preferred package and describe your mission requirements below.