Youcan Robot (约肯机器人), a startup making consumer- and industrial-grade remotely operated vehicle (ROV), has released the company’s most-up-to-date product known as Oceaneye.
Touted as the world’s first “deluxe lite” industrial-level 3D underwater drone, the device comes with an eight-propeller structure, featuring stronger power output and better stability than its predecessors in a subsea environment.
Oceaneye is a 2023 reddot prize winner and a new addition to the family of Youcan drones, which include BW Space Pro Max, BW Space Pro, BW Space Pro Zoom and Dive Master.
Youcan, founded in 2016 in Shanghai’s Lingang New Area, said the robot can tilt itself at any designated angle while navigating all types of surroundings under water.
Specifically, the drone can move sideways horizontally, flip on its top, stand vertically, roll over and adjust to a slanting position, all the while rotating at a fast pace in the water.
All these attributes enable the device to track and film a marine creature like a fish from multiple desired angles.
They also promise a higher degree of agility, making it possible for the drone to operate in narrow submarine canyons, caves or beneath a ship’s bottom.
Youcan says Oceaneye is the world’s first “deluxe lite” industrial-grade 3D underwater drone, equipped with eight propellers to navigate underwater with stability and agility.
Oceaneye is available with a zoom lens or a focus lens, depending on the consumer’s choice. The zoom lens edition is powered by a camera featuring a 6x zoom ratio.
Held up close to the target object, the lens captures higher-resolution and thus more detailed images, Youcan says.
Meanwhile, buyers of the focus lens version can expect more smooth and higher-definition pictures, thanks to anti-shake technologies and the 4K focus camera mounted on the gadget.
To illuminate its way forward, Youcan also equips the drone with a 5,400-lumen dual lighting set, comprised of a low-beam and a high-beam headlight.
The high beam projects convergent light to as far as 10m in poorly lit submarine conditions, while the low beam emits divergent rays of light with a visibility of 3m.
Versatile in action
In the face of corrosive seawater, the ROV’s eight propellers are fully sealed to ensure durability and have a life span of 2,000 hours. The gizmo is IP68 waterproof, meaning it is insulated against dust and withstands being submerged in water.
It sinks to a maximum depth of 100m under sea and is remotely controlled via mobile phone, tablet or remote control. The ROV pilot is able to access real-time graphic information sent through a cable on multiple devices.
As a ROV meant for industrial application, Oceaneye can be fitted with several tools, including an optional robotic arm, sample collector or camera, to become versatile in carrying out different operations.
The sleek appearance and eight-propeller design enable Oceaneye to brave ocean currents with ease, says Youcan.
A pincer placed at the tip of the robotic arm extends to a maximum 100 degrees, capable of clutching items up to 96mm across.
Moving at 2m/s, the drone can also stay submerged in water, on the back of its multi-sensor fusion algorithms and nine-axis computing capabilities, delivering a better user experience.
Youcan says Oceaneye is designed for a range of use cases such as underwater survey and prospecting, vessel examination, search and rescue, water quality monitoring, fish farming and scientific exploration.
