ROV SuBastian
A deep-sea ROV enabling scientific exploration to 4,500 meters.
ROV SuBastian is a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) owned and operated by the Schmidt Ocean Institute from its research vessel RV Falkor (too). Designed for scientific exploration of the deep sea, it can reach depths up to 4,500 meters (2.8 miles). The tethered robot is equipped with an array of scientific capabilities including deploying and recovering equipment, photomosaicing, sample collection, seawater characterization, seafloor mapping, and 4K high-resolution video. It is an adaptable system that allows additional sensors and instruments to be mounted based on a science party's specific research goals.
- Depth rating
- 4,500 m (2.8 miles)
- Weight
- 3,200 kg
- Dimensions
- 2.7 m × 1.8 m × 1.8 m
- Speed
- 0.5 – 3 knots
- Average dive time
- ~8 hours
- Thrusters
- 5
- Year of first dive
- 2016
Lore & Background
ROV SuBastian was named after the character Bastian from the German fantasy novel The Neverending Story, combined with “sub” for its subsurface use. It operates solely from R/V Falkor. The vehicle was specifically designed and constructed for scientific research in 2015 by a California-based team of engineers, with the design and construction process taking approximately 18 months. SuBastian was tank tested at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute prior to its first deep sea launch. The inaugural dive occurred in 2016 in the deep sea off Guam. As of 2020, ROV SuBastian has completed over 400 dives around the globe, enabling researcher's access to remote regions and depths. Researchers utilizing ROV SuBastian have discovered new species, seafloor features, and advanced scientific exploration of the global ocean. In March 2025, ROV SuBastian was used to film the first footage of a live colossal squid in its natural environment—a juvenile colossal squid, about 30 cm in size, filmed at a depth of 600 meters near the South Sandwich Islands in the Atlantic Ocean.
Reader's Guide
ROV SuBastian is a significant tool for deep-sea scientific research, designed and built specifically for that purpose by a California-based team in 2015. Its ability to reach depths of 4,500 meters and carry a flexible array of scientific instruments—including equipment for photomosaicing, sample collection, seawater characterization, seafloor mapping, and 4K video—makes it a versatile platform for oceanographic studies. The ROV is neutrally buoyant due to syntactic foam and moves with five thrusters, controlled by at least two pilots aboard the ship. Its tethered umbilical cable provides electrical and optical signals and uses a cantilever system to avoid entanglement with propellers. The vehicle has completed over 400 dives globally as of 2020, leading to discoveries of new species and seafloor features. A notable achievement occurred in March 2025, when SuBastian captured the first-ever footage of a live colossal squid in its natural habitat, a juvenile specimen filmed at 600 meters depth near the South Sandwich Islands. This event underscores the ROV's role in advancing deep-sea exploration and documenting elusive marine life.
Did You Know?
- It was tank tested at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute before its first deep sea launch.
- In March 2025, it filmed the first footage of a live colossal squid, a 30 cm juvenile, at 600 meters depth.
- The ROV weighs 3,200 kg and is roughly the size of a subcompact car.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is ROV SuBastian?
ROV SuBastian is a tethered, remotely operated underwater vehicle owned and piloted by the Schmidt Ocean Institute. It is deployed from the research vessel RV Falkor (too) and is purpose-built for deep-sea scientific exploration.
What can ROV SuBastian do on a dive?
The vehicle can deploy and recover equipment, build photomosaics, collect samples, characterize seawater, map the seafloor, and record 4K high-resolution video. Its adaptable frame also allows a science party to mount extra sensors and instruments tailored to a particular expedition's goals.
How deep can ROV SuBastian go?
SuBastian is rated for depths of up to 4,500 meters, roughly 2.8 miles below the surface. That range lets it reach the vast majority of the ocean floor for hands-on scientific study.
What are ROV SuBastian's key specifications?
The ROV weighs 3,200 kg, measures 2.7 × 1.8 × 1.8 meters, and is propelled by five thrusters. It cruises between 0.5 and 3 knots and typically remains on a dive for about eight hours.
Why is ROV SuBastian important to ocean science?
As a versatile tethered platform, SuBastian gives the Schmidt Ocean Institute's teams a reliable way to conduct hands-on research in the deep sea without risking human divers. Its blend of sampling, imaging, and mapping capabilities makes it a central instrument in modern deep-ocean exploration.
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