Reach Robotics to Develop Deep-Water Subsea Manipulators

Reach Robotics, an Australian subsea robotics manufacturer, has announced that it is in contract with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to produce a custom ‘deep water’ variant of their Reach X Advanced Intervention System (RX-AIS).

The new subsea manipulator will be rated for depths of over 800 meters below sea water, exceeding the maximum operational depth of any system previously produced by the business.

Launched in 2023, the Reach X-AIS is a highly dexterous, dual electric manipulator system designed for lightweight submersible platforms. It was originally developed with collaborative input from both the US and Australian Departments of Defence (DoD), and this latest contract represents the ADF’s continued investment in sovereign capabilities.

The deep-water Reach X-AIS will be equipped with two seven-function subsea manipulators, specialised tooling and input device controller inclusions. The system combines advanced functionality with robust performance for a wide range of subsea operations that expand the scope of portable ROVs. Furthermore, the new RX-AIS system will grow the capability profile of the ADF in relatively deep waters to combat modern naval threats.  

The contract is scheduled for delivery in mid-2025.