China has successfully tested its first robot capable of three-dimensional drilling and monitoring within deep-sea strata in the South China Sea, according to the China Geological Survey under the Ministry of Natural Resources on Wednesday.

Independently developed by the Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey (GMGS), the robot represents a major advance in China’s deep-sea exploration and in-situ monitoring of subsurface environments.

Standing 2.5 meters tall and weighing 110 kilograms, the robot is equipped with a drilling system and multiple sensors, enabling real-time in-situ monitoring in a large scale, long duration and multi parameters. It recently completed a trial operation at a water depth of 1,264 meters in the South China Sea, with all performance indicators meeting design requirements.

During a recent research cruise, the robot was deployed to conduct real-time in-situ monitoring of targeted strata, said Zhu Yangtao, a GMGS engineer. The operation yielded more than 2,000 sets of data, including methane concentrations, dissolved oxygen levels and subsurface structural information, helping researchers better understand the geological background of the test mining area.

To overcome the deep-sea challenges such as low temperatures, high salinity and unstable geological conditions, researchers equipped the robot with artificial intelligence algorithms, inertial navigation and magnetic beacon-aided positioning systems. These technologies enable the robot to avoid obstacles, plan optimal routes and achieve precise positioning while drilling within sub-seafloor strata.

Inspired by how earthworms move through soil, the robot uses a biomimetic, multi-segment design that allows it to change direction freely and maneuver in all directions within the strata, according to Zhu. He added that within a range of 200 meters, its three-dimensional positioning error is kept below 0.3 meter, while its success rate of avoiding obstacles reaches 99.5 percent.

The research team plans to further enhance the robot’s overall performance and apply it to the exploration of key resources such as natural gas hydrates and deep-sea rare earth elements, supporting China’s national deep-sea scientific drilling program.