Subsea STEM Buyer’s Guide
Blue Robotics in STEM Education
After some tinkering in his garage, Rusty launched a Kickstarter in 2014, and the result was our first thruster! Since then, Blue Robotics has developed hundreds of low-cost marine components. Our community has expanded to thousands of innovators and our BlueROV2 has explored waters off every continent. We’re on a mission to enable the future of marine robotics!
We are excited to introduce blueSTEAM Ahead, an innovative educational initiative designed to bring cutting-edge marine technology directly into the hands of educators and students. This program equips classrooms with the tools and curriculum necessary to unlock the mysteries of our blue planet, fostering a deep connection between students and their ocean environment. Just as telescopes and microscopes have unlocked the cosmos and the microscopic world, ROVs and other marine technologies offer unparalleled access into the ocean’s depths.
We gathered a team to explore existing science curriculums that incorporate underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and quickly recognized an opportunity to create hands-on, engaging content that connects marine technology with STEM education. So after a little more research, we made our own. Our curriculum touches on Ocean Literacy Principles and Next Generation Science Standards along with exposing students to the technology that’s out in the world right now. We want to help get the tools directly into the hands of the people that need them. Our curriculum is available for free here, but we know that getting started with marine robotics can be intimidating, so we’ve created this guide to help get you started!
Students at MATE ROV Competition
Ideas for Projects in STEM Education
Introducing marine technology into your classroom can transform learning experiences, offering students hands-on engagement with real-world scientific tools. Whether you’re planning a one-hour lesson or a comprehensive year-long project, the possibilities are endless!
What do you imagine doing with your students using this technology? Below are some organizations, videos, and resources to inspire some applications your class may engage in! If you have additional ides to suggest, please let us know!
Environmental Sciences / Marine Biology / Chemistry Education:
- Habitat Monitoring – Utilize ROVs like the BlueROV2 to monitor and study vital ecosystems.
BlueBoat being used to inspect a kelp farm
- Water Quality Analysis
- GoSense Marine (Coming Soon!) – An affordable, compact sensor kit designed for hands-on environmental exploration. With easy-to-use sensors tracking temperature, pressure, turbidity, and total dissolved solids, GoSense Marine makes environmental monitoring accessible for students, educators, and curious minds alike. Dive into real-world science and unlock deeper insights into the environment right outside your door.
- Geology – Map and study the seafloor’s physical features and composition.
- Collecting and Creating Bathymetric Maps with the BlueBoat and Ping – Learn how to map underwater topography using sonar technology.
- Sample Collection – Give students the ability to gather real-world data from underwater environments safely, accurately, and without the need for diving.
BlueROV2 after scooping up some sediment
Archaeology:
- Shipwreck Exploration – Utilize ROVs to document and analyze underwater archaeological sites.
- Marine Archaeology – Talk by our very own Tony White to USF’s Archaeological Methods class.
Citizen Science:
- Marine Debris Cleanups
- Restore the Lake Depths – Using an ROV, one group is on a mission to retrieve and properly dispose of all submerged litter in Lake Tahoe.
- Wasteshark – A USV that targets floating aquatic waste right at the source, efficiently removing 1100-2200 lbs of waste per day from all types of waterways.
- Ocean Defenders Alliance – ODA’s all-volunteer boat and dive crews remove abandoned fishing nets, traps, lines, plastic, and other man-made debris threatening ocean wildlife and habitats.
- ROV De-Litter Bug – Down Deep Drone’s ROV designed specifically to remove ocean debris.
ODA event to clean up tires in Kailua Bay
Vehicle Assembly
The BlueROV2 is Blue Robotics’ flagship ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) with over 5,000 kits sold since its launch in 2016. The BlueBoat USV (Uncrewed Surface Vessel) was introduced in late 2023 and has grown rapidly to become a popular platform for a variety of missions and applications.
Whether you are a biology teacher, a robotics club mentor, or just think this stuff is really cool, the build process is a great way for your students to learn about marine robotics and will give them new skills and experiences that will benefit them throughout their educational and professional careers.
Both the BlueROV2 and the BlueBoat are sold as kits that require assembly. The detailed Assembly Guides make it easy for students using basic skills and basic tools (no soldering required!), and if you need help or have a question, Blue Robotics Technical Support is just a message away.
We offer curriculum lessons that are standards based, modular and can be adapted to fit into your program.
If you prefer to have the vehicle assembled for you, we have a network of Blue Robotics Distributors who can help!
Assembling the BlueROV2 or BlueBoat can be done by students in STEM classrooms as educational lessons for designing, building, and applying marine technology in the real world. They are excellent platforms for future expansion and custom integration.
Blue Robotics products are great for introducing marine robotics to organizations that may already have robotics clubs or classes. Competitions like FIRST and VEX have become very popular, and clubs may be looking for new projects to help address the growing demand from students.
Once built, the vehicles will provide years of reliable service as tools for future STEM learning, community projects (e.g., coastal cleanups), and more.
BlueROV2 STEM Packages
Imagine your students working together assembling a BlueROV2 kit, testing and learning to pilot it in the pool, and then taking it out for a dive in your local ocean, lake, or river! Your BlueROV2 is a live window to the underwater world where students immerse themselves in the natural environment, conduct scientific experiments, and collect video and data for further analysis.
If you’re considering buying a BlueROV2 and would like to learn more, here’s our standard buyer’s guide with more product information.
BlueROV2 at Catalina Island Marine Institute
BlueROV2 Dive-Ready Package
The most affordable BlueROV2 kit we recommend getting started with includes the following:
- BlueROV2 with Acrylic Enclosures
- 1 Twisted Pair Tether, 50m length
- Lumen Subsea Light Pre-Connected Sets Pair (optional based on your dive environment)
- XBOX Controller
- 14.8V, 18Ah Lithium-ion Battery
- H6 PRO Battery Charger
- H6 PRO Battery Charger Cable – North America/Japan
These items can be easily added to your cart here! This kit costs approximately $4,995 with our 15% education discount.
You can also build your own BlueROV2 kit below:
Heavy Configuration
The BlueROV2 Heavy Configuration Retrofit Kit provides the components needed to upgrade your ROV with two additional T200 Thrusters, external thruster guards, and additional buoyancy. This kit improves stability and control and is better for heavier payloads. This kit is approximately an extra $723 with our 15% education discount.
Tether Upgrades
You can upgrade from a 50m length 1-twisted pair tether to a 100m heavy duty 4-twisted pair tether with ethernet, pre-installed WLP, and connectors. This tether is neutrally buoyant, has 300-350 lb breaking strength, and is embedded with water-blocking fibers to seal any leaks. This kit also includes the Fathom Spool for tether storage and management. The appoximate cost of this add-on is $1,338 with our 15% educational discount and can be easily added to your cart here!
You can also find all of our ROV-Ready Tether options below:
Newton Gripper
The Newton Gripper is the perfect addition to the BlueROV2 if you are looking to retrieve objects, grab downlines, etc. The approximate price is $578 with our 15% education discount.
Newton Sediment Sampler Attachment
The Sediment Sampler is also a great attachment for the Newton Gripper, which is capable of collecting up to 300cc at a time, perfect for collecting and testing sediment. The approximate price is $247 with our 15% education discount.
Sensors
You can also upgrade your BlueROV2 by adding sensors like the Celsius temperature sensor, which is ideal for temperature profiling and lab experiments, or the Bar100 pressure sensor, which enables depth measurements down to 1000 meters, significantly expanding the capabilities of your projects.
BlueBoat STEM Packages
The BlueBoat can be used as a platform for easy integration of additional devices, like weather monitoring equipment or cameras used for video observation and recording (above and below the surface). You can even do simple bottom mapping with our Ping Sonar Altimeter and Echosounder or hunt for objects with the Omniscan SideScan Sonar!
BlueBoat out for a cruise
BlueBoat Sail-Ready Package
The BlueBoat kit we recommend getting started with includes the following:
- BlueBoat
- BaseStation
- XBOX Controller
- 2x 14.8V, 18Ah Lithium-ion Battery
- H6 PROBattery Charger
- H6 PRO Battery Charger Cable – North America/Japan
These items can be easily added to your cart here! This kit costs approximately $4,940 with our 15% education discount.
One of the fun things about the BlueBoat is it doesn’t have to be blue! We also offer it in Axolotl Pink, Garibaldi Orange, and Moray Green, so choose the color that best suits you and your school! All colors outside of blue will be around $85 more with the 15% education discount. You are able to build your own BlueBoat kit below:
Ping Sonar Altimeter and Echosounder
The BlueBoat can be upgraded to included the Ping Sonar Altimeter and Echosounder, which is a great tool for depth measurement and simple bottom mapping. This add on kit includes:
- Ping Sonar Altimeter and Echosounder
- BlueBoat Ping Integration Kit
And can be easily added to your cart here! This kit costs approximately $468 with the 15% education discount
Cerulean Omniscan 450 Side Scan Sonar
The Cerulean Omniscan 450 Side Scan Sonar integrates with the BlueBoat to provide side scan sonar imaging to help you locate and identify underwater objects and map the seafloor. It is great for bottom surveying, detailed imaging, and object identification. This add-on kit includes:
- 2x Cerulean Omniscan 450 Side Scan Sonar (includes the Cerulean Omniscan integration cables and hardware kit)
- Ethernet Switch (needed to operation)
And can be easily added to your cart here! This kit costs approximately $5,589 with the 15% education discount
Directional Antennas
These directional antennas replace the standard omnidirectional antenna on the BaseStation to boost its communication range. The Panel Antenna Kit provides a mid-range upgrade with a directional, 40-degree beamwidth and the Yagi Antenna Kit provides a long-range upgrade with a highly directional, 25-degree beamwidth. You can choose either option below:
Using Blue Robotics Components on an ROV
If you’re looking for a hands-on DIY project for your class, you can use Blue Robotics components to build your own custom ROV. We supply the components like the thrusters, enclosures, and sensors, while you design the frame. Our modular parts make it easy to create an underwater vehicle that fits your goals, and we’ve put together this guide to help you figure out what parts to use!
ROV with custom frame and T200 Thrusters
How to Order
Once you’ve added all desired items to your cart, placing an order is easy! Please follow these steps:
- Click your shopping cart in the top right corner of the website.
- Click “Proceed to Order/Quote” at the bottom of the page.
- Log into your account, or continue as a guest.
- Enter your billing address.
- Enter your shipping address if different from your billing address.
- Choose your shipping method.
- If you’d like, you can leave a message in the “Order Comments” box.
- Choose your payment type at the bottom. You can choose Credit Card, PayPal, or Bank Transfer, Check, or Purchase Order.
- If paying by purchase order, please email an official purchase order to us at [email protected].
- Click “Submit” to complete your order.
- If successful, you’ll see a message with your order number.
If you have additional questions or any special requests, please contact us directly at [email protected].
How to Pay
We accept payments via credit card, PayPal, check, or direct wire transfer. Please note that if you are paying by credit card, your card will be charged at the time of purchase and not at the time of shipment. Net30 terms are also available upon request.
Questions?
Have questions regarding ordering, payments, shipping, or anything else mentioned in this guide? Check out our Questions & Contact page. Still not finding what you need? Fill out the form at the bottom of that page with your questions! We are happy to help!
STEM Kits from SeaMATE
SeaMATE offers a range of hands-on STEM kits designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of marine technology and underwater robotics. These kits support a variety of skill levels—from beginners just learning to build and control an ROV to more advanced students exploring sensor integration and mission-based challenges. Each SeaMATE kit encourages problem-solving, teamwork, and applied engineering in real-world ocean environments.
MATE Floats! Vertical Profile Kit
The MATE Floats! Vertical Profiler Kit is a basic, non-floating kit designed to help SCOUT and NAVIGATOR teams explore the concept of vertical profiling floats and assist them in completing the MATE Floats! Task.
Angelfish ROV Kit with Thrusters and Tether
The AngelFish is a basic ROV kit that is designed to introduce students to ROV building.
TriggerFish ROV Kit
The TriggerFish is an easy to construct ROV kit that moves from a switchbox controller to analog joystick control of four motors.
Barracuda ROV KIT
The SeaMATE Barracuda ROV Kit is an ROV kit featuring analog or digital joystick control of four motors. The kit consists of a control system, wires to receive and deliver power, and thrusters (motors, propeller adapters, and propellers). A frame is not included but can be purchased.
STEM Kits from RoboNation
RoboNation provides high-impact STEM kits that empower students to engage with ocean engineering and autonomous systems through hands-on learning. These kits—-developed for classroom and extracurricular use–focus on the construction, operation, and programming of underwater vehicles. Ideal for educators looking to teach foundational concepts in physics, buoyancy, electronics, and coding.
SeaPerch ROV KIT
The SeaPerch ROV Kit includes all of the parts needed to build and operate a SeaPerch Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). This kit is the perfect starting point for learning about ROV design, construction, and use as well as physics and electronics related to ROVs.
SeaGLIDE KIT
The SeaGlide Kit includes all materials needed to build and operate a SeaGlide, a miniature underwater glider designed to move by changing its buoyancy, taking in or expelling water. SeaGlide allows users to take their knowledge of autonomous systems to the next level while building a robot with real-world capabilities.
