Have you ever wondered what lies beneath the waves? This week, a 2.5-meter-tall robot just answered that question in style! 🤖🌊
On Wednesday, Jan 14, 2026, the China Geological Survey under the Ministry of Natural Resources announced that the Chinese mainland had successfully tested its first robot capable of three-dimensional drilling and real-time in-situ monitoring deep beneath the South China Sea.
Independently developed by the Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey (GMGS), this high-tech explorer weighs 110 kilograms and is packed with sensors. During a trial at depths of 1,264 meters, it collected over 2,000 data sets—everything from methane concentrations to dissolved oxygen and subsurface structures.
Here’s why it’s such a game-changer:
- AI-driven drilling system for large-scale, long-term operations 🤖
- Inertial navigation and magnetic beacon positioning for pinpoint accuracy 📡
- Biomimetic, multi-segment design inspired by earthworms for agile moves within rock layers 🌱
- Less than 0.3 meter positioning error in a 200-meter range, with a 99.5% success rate in obstacle avoidance 🏆
"Thanks to advanced algorithms and a sturdy design, our robot can navigate complex geological conditions like low temperatures and high salinity," says GMGS engineer Zhu Yangtao.
Next up, the research team plans to boost the robot’s performance to hunt for natural gas hydrates and deep-sea rare earth elements—key resources for future technologies! 💡🌍
As the Chinese mainland’s national deep-sea scientific drilling program gears up for more missions, explorers can look forward to unveiling the ocean’s hidden treasures.
Reference(s):
China debuts its first deep-sea drilling and in-situ monitoring robot
cgtn.com
