For fish-farm net inspection, how do the Blueye X3 Ultra and VideoRay Mission Specialist Ally compare on weight, number of thrusters and dimensions?

Question

Rapidflare · Accepted Answer

Here's how the two compare — notably, they're evenly matched on thrusters, while the Blueye X3 Ultra is substantially lighter and more compact.

**Blueye X3 Ultra vs. VideoRay Mission Specialist Ally**

| Attribute | Blueye X3 Ultra | VideoRay Mission Specialist Ally |
|---|---|---|
| Thrusters | 4 | 4 |
| Weight | 8,600 g (8.6 kg) | 13,600 g (13.6 kg) |
| Dimensions (L × W × H) | 485 × 257 × 354 mm | 641 × 305 × 305 mm |

Both are four-thruster mini-ROVs built for underwater inspection: the Blueye X3 Ultra is a portable unit from Blueye Robotics with a 305 m depth rating, while the Mission Specialist Ally is AeroVironment's ROV for underwater inspection and light intervention with a 300 m depth rating.

For net inspection work, the practical takeaways:

- **Weight**: The X3 Ultra weighs 8,600 g vs. the Ally's 13,600 g — the Ally is about 58% heavier, which matters for handling on a workboat or feed barge.
- **Size**: The X3 Ultra measures 257 (W) × 354 (H) × 485 (L) mm, versus 305 (W) × 305 (H) × 641 (L) mm for the Ally — the X3 Ultra is shorter and slightly narrower, fitting through smaller net apertures.
- **Maneuvering**: Both have the same 4-thruster configuration, so neither has a propulsive advantage for navigating net panels.

One relevant capability difference if you're carrying tools or attachments alongside the camera: the Ally lists a 10 kg payload capacity. The X3 Ultra's payload capacity is not listed in the catalog, so I can't confirm a comparable figure for it. Both use an NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX for onboard AI and computer vision.

Blueye X3 Ultra vs VideoRay Mission Specialist Ally: weight, thrusters and dimensions

Sources

Attribute	Blueye X3 Ultra	VideoRay Mission Specialist Ally
Thrusters	4	4
Weight	8,600 g (8.6 kg)	13,600 g (13.6 kg)
Dimensions (L × W × H)	485 × 257 × 354 mm	641 × 305 × 305 mm