75 stars on GitHub. This open-source customisable underwater drone is a 3D-printable submersible robot designed by Guido and Fabio Schillaci at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Published as an arXiv preprint, the design enables multiple propeller and thruster configurations for varying research and exploration tasks. Source: https://github.com/guidoschillaci/underwater-drone The drone is built around the 4" watertight enclosure sold by BlueRobotics, providing a waterproof housing for electronics. Thrusters use Turnigy Aerodrive DST brushless motors (tested with DST-700 and DST-1200 variants) inspired by the BlueRobotics thruster design. All 18 structural components are 3D-printable and recommended to be printed with solid infill for watertight structural integrity. Key printable components include: main thruster body, motor mount, thruster cap, propeller, ballast cylinder, ballast cap, anterior and posterior clamps (superior and inferior variants), adapters (90-degree, round male/female, split), a 2-tube connector, rear clamp connector, and a stiffening stick. The modular clamp system allows configuring the drone for different mission profiles — forward-facing cameras, lateral thrusters, ballast placement, or instrument mounting. Applications include aquatic research, underwater exploration, coral reef monitoring, and educational robotics. License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY 4.0). --- ## Install Notes This repository contains **CAD files and assembly instructions** for a 3D-printable submersible — there is no firmware or control software included. The design is intended for custom electronics integration. The orobot Program code is a reference stub only. To build a controllable version, you will need to design or source your own motor controller and connect it via serial or WiFi.
Category: Mobile Robots
| Item | Qty | Unit Cost (USD) | Total (USD) | Notes | |------|-----|-----------------|-------------|-------| | Turnigy Aerodrive DST-1200 brushless outrunner motor (or DST-700) | 4 | $25 | $100 | Thrusters — [HobbyKing](https://hobbyking.com/en_us/turnigy-aerodrive-dst-1200-1100kv-brushless-outrunner-motor.html) | | 30A brushless ESC (waterproof / coated) | 4 | $20 | $80 | One per thruster — [Amazon search](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=30A+waterproof+brushless+ESC) | | BlueRobotics 4" Watertight Enclosure | 1 | $250 | $250 | Main electronics housing — [Blue Robotics](https://bluerobotics.com/store/watertight-enclosures/4-series/wte4-asm-r1-rp/) | | Pixhawk-class flight controller (or Raspberry Pi + Navio2) | 1 | $200 | $200 | Autopilot / control — [Amazon search](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Pixhawk+flight+controller) | | 4S 5000 mAh LiPo battery (14.8V) | 1 | $60 | $60 | Power — [Amazon search](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=4S+5000mAh+LiPo+battery) | | Tether — 50m neutrally-buoyant Cat5e | 1 | $80 | $80 | Topside link — [Blue Robotics tether](https://bluerobotics.com/store/cables-connectors/cables/fathom-rov-tether/) | | Penetrators / cable glands (M10, set of 8) | 1 | $40 | $40 | Sealed cable pass-throughs — [Blue Robotics penetrators](https://bluerobotics.com/store/cables-connectors/penetrators/) | | 10mm stainless steel balls (1 kg) | 1 | $20 | $20 | Ballast — [Amazon search](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=10mm+stainless+steel+balls+1kg) | | BAR30 depth/pressure sensor (or MS5837) | 1 | $80 | $80 | Depth telemetry — [Blue Robotics BAR30](https://bluerobotics.com/store/sensors-cameras/sensors/bar30-sensor-r1/) | | MPU-9250 / BNO055 IMU module | 1 | $25 | $25 | Attitude — [Amazon search](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=BNO055+IMU) | | 1080p USB camera (low-light, fisheye) | 1 | $40 | $40 | FPV — [Amazon search](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=1080p+USB+camera+fisheye) | | WL Toys / generic 6-blade propeller (motor-matched) | 4 | $5 | $20 | Or print custom DST-adapted props from repo — [Amazon search](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=brushless+motor+propeller+30mm) | | O-ring assortment (NBR, metric) | 1 | $15 | $15 | Sealing — [Amazon search](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=NBR+O-ring+assortment+metric) | | Marine-grade silicone grease (2 oz) | 1 | $10 | $10 | O-ring lubricant — [Amazon search](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=marine+silicone+grease) | | 22 AWG silicone hookup wire kit | 1 | $15 | $15 | [Amazon search](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=22+AWG+silicone+wire+kit) | | Heat-shrink tubing assortment | 1 | $10 | $10 | [Amazon search](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=heat+shrink+tubing+assortment) | | M3 / M4 stainless steel screw + nyloc nut assortment | 1 | $15 | $15 | Saltwater-resistant fasteners — [Amazon search](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=M3+M4+stainless+steel+screw+nyloc+kit) | | 3D-printer filament (PETG, ~2 kg, hydrolysis-stable) | 2 | $20 | $40 | All printed parts — [Amazon search](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=PETG+filament+1kg) | | Raspberry Pi 4 (4GB) + microSD 32GB (topside companion) | 1 | $60 | $60 | Companion computer — [Amazon search](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Raspberry+Pi+4+4GB) | **Estimated total: $1,050–$1,300 USD** (custom build; comparable to a BlueROV2 lite kit at ~$1,800). Source: https://github.com/guidoschillaci/underwater-drone and https://arxiv.org/abs/1707.06564.