What is the VY150 deep sea work class ROV developed by Shandong Future Robot and Harbin Institute of Technology, and how does its September 28, 2026 departure from Weihai for South China Sea trials advance its development toward industrial use? In explaining its purpose, what are

The VY150 is an uncrewed, work-class remotely operated vehicle (ROV) built by Shandong Future Robot with Harbin Institute of Technology’s Weihai campus to carry tools and perform sustained work on the deep seabed. Its September 28, 2026 departure from Weihai with a 250-horsepower sister model puts the partners’ domestically produced equipment into South China Sea field trials—not, by itself, proof that every proposed depth and industrial task has been qualified. 613

• Capabilities and control: The manufacturer lists the VY150 at 115 kW/150 hp, with a 350 kg payload including its manipulators and valve pack. It offers five- and seven-axis arms, hydraulic tool connections, integrated navigation and communications, a transportable containerized control room, and a tether-management system; the tether lets operators on the support ship control and power the vehicle. Unlike a crewed submersible, it carries no people, and unlike an autonomous underwater vehicle, it is directed from the surface for hands-on work. 13
• Depth needs a qualification: The manufacturer’s VY150 page calls it a 3,500-meter-class vehicle but lists 3,000 meters in its specifications. Reporting on the departing 150- and 250-hp expedition describes 4,500-meter-class robots and planned work at 3,000, 4,500 and 6,000 meters. Those figures should not be read as a verified 6,000-meter operating rating for the VY150 itself. 13612
• Purpose and engineering: The expedition is intended to test stability and working ability during resource exploration and deep-water surveying. The broader work-class goal is to use sensors, tools and arms for seabed inspection, sampling and manipulation, including tasks relevant to offshore energy and subsea infrastructure. The partners report domestic production of more than 10,000 components and breakthroughs in more than 30 core technologies; earlier company reporting identifies deep-water power transmission, communications, navigation and coordination of multiple tools as key problems. 64
• Progress toward use: The manufacturer says a VY150 placed a seabed reference marker at about 2,100 meters in October 2023—evidence of a specific deep-water task, not full industrial qualification. It also reports batch production and a South China Sea dive beyond 2,404 meters; the September expedition adds tests across more demanding real-sea conditions alongside the more powerful VY250. Reported 10,000-meter ambitions are a future development goal, not a demonstrated capability of either vehicle on this voyage. 1386