China unveils homegrown deep-sea robotic arm with seven functions

China has commissioned its first seven-function robotic arm for deep-sea oil and gas operations, Offshore Oil Engineering Co., Ltd. (COOEC), the developer of the device, said on Sunday.

The mechanical arm has been mounted on a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and performed precision tasks during its inaugural deployment in the Pearl River Mouth Basin. The developer said its maximum operating depth is 7,000 meters.

It mastered seven capabilities – extending, retracting, swinging, rotating, opening, grasping and clamping – and successfully completed valve operations and equipment installation in strong currents.

The 60-kilogram arm, which is 35 percent lighter than its global peers, carried a 125-kilogram payload at full extension. Its cost is also 40 percent lower than imported alternatives.

COOEC said the arm advances China into an elite group of nations capable of manufacturing critical deep-sea robotics.