BlueBoat

The BlueBoat is an uncrewed surface vessel (USV) manufactured by Blue Robotics Inc. (California, USA), priced from $4,400 for the base kit. It features a foldable dual-hull catamaran design (~1.5 m, ~14.5 kg), M200 motors, BlueOS/ArduRover software, and supports modular payloads (sonar, MBES, SSS, ADCP, water quality probes) up to 15–30 kg depending on configuration. The vessel autonomously executes GPS waypoint missions for hydrographic survey, bathymetry, and seafloor mapping without a human performing the task, though independent community reports document real connectivity/reliability issues (signal loss at short range, survey line misalignment, thruster runaway) that require operator attention but do not constitute a human performing the survey task itself. Multiple independent research groups (University of Michigan, Heriot-Watt, University of Florida) have used the BlueBoat as a research platform, validating its utility for autonomous navigation and sensor integration.