Remote Control

Stormwater culverts can be dangerous places, due to hazards such as crumbling concrete ceilings and toxic gas accumulations. The PIPE-i robot was designed with that fact in mind, as it takes the place of a human when inspecting such structures.

Unlike most other ROVs, the Boxfish Luna is designed specifically for underwater filmmaking. It records video at a resolution of 8K/30fps and can descend as deep as 1,000 m (3,281 ft) – so all you giant squids out there, get ready for your close-up.

The Chasing X brings a new form factor to mini ROVs, looking a bit like a submersible quadcopter. It's designed mainly for the underwater inspection of things like ship hulls and aquaculture operations, although it can also grab stuff if need be.

An experimental new undersea robot shows great promise for use in the upkeep of offshore renewable energy platforms. Because it has the ability to climb vertical underwater surfaces – and paint them – it's known as the Crawfish.

Canadian firm Deep Trekker is probably best known for its Revolution, a top-of-the-line underwater ROV (remotely operated vehicle). The company is now offering a much smaller, less pricey yet still very capable model, however, called the Photon.

Four years ago we told you about the MetaFly, a remote-control flapping-wing flying model insect made by French startup Bionic Bird (which did previously release a model bionic bird). Well, the company is now back with the new-and-improved X-Fly.

While airfreight is certainly the fastest method of transporting cargo, it's also by far the most expensive. The Droneliner aircraft could help change that, by doing away with a crew and adopting a more cargo-friendly body shape.

Back in 2019, Chinese manufacturer Youcan Robotics brought us the prosumer-oriented BW Space Pro underwater drone. Well, the company is back with its much higher-spec'd OceanEye model, which is aimed squarely at industrial use.

Searching for human bodies or other submerged items can be dangerous for divers due to factors such as strong currents, deep waters and low visibility. That's where the Tethys One underwater drone comes in, as it's designed to do the job itself.

If you're going out on a bike ride directly from your home, your keys are just one more thing you have to bring along and stuff in a pocket. The Doormate offers an alternative (for cyclists with garages), as it's a bike-mounted garage door remote.

Three years ago we heard about Oceanbotics' SRV-8, a small yet highly capable underwater ROV (remotely operated vehicle). Well, it's now got a much burlier bigger sibling, in the form of the SRV-8X Optimus.

While the GoPro Hero is still pretty much the name in actioncams, it can be fiddly to operate, plus its battery life may be too short. The new Volta is designed to address those shortcomings, combining one-handed controls with a battery pack.