SuBastian
Gallery
Overview
Schmidt Ocean Institute's 4,500 m science ROV, which has filmed many new deep-sea species.
SuBastian is the deep-diving ROV of the Schmidt Ocean Institute, the ocean-research foundation set up by Eric and Wendy Schmidt, and it is offered free of charge to scientists worldwide. Rated to 4,500 m, the 3.2-tonne vehicle carries two Schilling Titan 4 manipulators, 4K cameras, and environmental sensors, and streams its dives live online. Expeditions with SuBastian have documented hydrothermal vents, deep coral reefs, and dozens of species new to science, including discoveries in the Southeast Pacific and off Chile.
Primary Roles
Notes
Schmidt Ocean Institute specifications: 4,500 m depth, about 3,200 kg in air, 200 kg payload, five thrusters, two Schilling Titan 4 manipulators, Greensea control system; reported dimensions vary between about 2.7 x 1.8 x 1.8 m and 3.1 x 2.1 x 1.9 m.
