BAbout this program
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.
Build Guide
3D models, build instructions, and configuration details: github.com/guidoschillaci/underwater-drone
🖨 Print Files (18)
adapter_90.stl
adapter_round_female.stl
adapter_round_male.stl
adapter_split.stl
ballast_cap.stl
ballast_cylinder.stl
Required Hardware
| Item | Qty | Unit Cost (USD) | Total (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnigy Aerodrive DST-1200 brushless outrunner motor (or DST-700) | 4 | $25 | $100 | Thrusters — HobbyKing |
| 30A brushless ESC (waterproof / coated) | 4 | $20 | $80 | One per thruster — Amazon search |
| BlueRobotics 4" Watertight Enclosure | 1 | $250 | $250 | Main electronics housing — Blue Robotics |
| Pixhawk-class flight controller (or Raspberry Pi + Navio2) | 1 | $200 | $200 | Autopilot / control — Amazon search |
| 4S 5000 mAh LiPo battery (14.8V) | 1 | $60 | $60 | Power — Amazon search |
| Tether — 50m neutrally-buoyant Cat5e | 1 | $80 | $80 | Topside link — Blue Robotics tether |
| Penetrators / cable glands (M10, set of 8) | 1 | $40 | $40 | Sealed cable pass-throughs — Blue Robotics penetrators |
| 10mm stainless steel balls (1 kg) | 1 | $20 | $20 | Ballast — Amazon search |
| BAR30 depth/pressure sensor (or MS5837) | 1 | $80 | $80 | Depth telemetry — Blue Robotics BAR30 |
| MPU-9250 / BNO055 IMU module | 1 | $25 | $25 | Attitude — Amazon search |
| 1080p USB camera (low-light, fisheye) | 1 | $40 | $40 | FPV — Amazon search |
| WL Toys / generic 6-blade propeller (motor-matched) | 4 | $5 | $20 | Or print custom DST-adapted props from repo — Amazon search |
| O-ring assortment (NBR, metric) | 1 | $15 | $15 | Sealing — Amazon search |
| Marine-grade silicone grease (2 oz) | 1 | $10 | $10 | O-ring lubricant — Amazon search |
| 22 AWG silicone hookup wire kit | 1 | $15 | $15 | Amazon search |
| Heat-shrink tubing assortment | 1 | $10 | $10 | Amazon search |
| M3 / M4 stainless steel screw + nyloc nut assortment | 1 | $15 | $15 | Saltwater-resistant fasteners — Amazon search |
| 3D-printer filament (PETG, ~2 kg, hydrolysis-stable) | 2 | $20 | $40 | All printed parts — Amazon search |