China's self-developed Haiqin, a 6,000-meter deep-sea remotely operated vehicle (ROV), is recovered from the sea, onboard ship Zhong Shan Da Xue, in the South China Sea, Aug. 23, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

China's self-developed Haiqin, a 6,000-meter deep-sea remotely operated vehicle (ROV), has successfully completed a deep-sea voyage in the South China Sea, scientists have told Xinhua.

The deep-sea electric ROV system named Haiqin, which was designed and built by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, reached a depth of 4,140 meters during the sea trial early on Saturday morning.

Equipped with high-definition cameras, robotic arms, sonar systems and sensors -- the ROV demonstrated capabilities including automatic heading control and precise hovering.

The 3.6-tonne ROV successfully collected deep-sea biological samples and sediments -- with these findings taken to a supporting research vessel named Zhong Shan Da Xue.

In a significant development, this voyage also saw the simultaneous deployment of the full-ocean-depth autonomous and remotely-operated vehicle (ARV) named Haidou-1, marking the first time two distinct deep-sea unmanned submersibles had conducted coordinated scientific operations via a single supporting Chinese research vessel.

China's self-developed Haiqin, a 6,000-meter deep-sea remotely operated vehicle (ROV), places a marker on the seafloor at a depth of 4,140 meters, in the South China Sea, Aug. 23, 2025. (Sun Yat-sen University/Handout via Xinhua)

Research expedition members deploy China's self-developed Haiqin, a 6,000-meter deep-sea remotely operated vehicle (ROV), onboard ship Zhong Shan Da Xue, in the South China Sea, Aug. 22, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

China's self-developed Haiqin, a 6,000-meter deep-sea remotely operated vehicle (ROV), is recovered from the sea in the South China Sea, Aug. 23, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

Research expedition members work on the main deck of ship Zhong Shan Da Xue, in the South China Sea, Aug. 23, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

Research expedition members of ship Zhong Shan Da Xue pose for a group photo with China's self-developed Haiqin, a 6,000-meter deep-sea remotely operated vehicle (ROV), onboard ship Zhong Shan Da Xue, in the South China Sea, Aug. 23, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

Research expedition members work inside a monitoring power station of China's self-developed Haiqin, a 6,000-meter deep-sea remotely operated vehicle (ROV), in the South China Sea, Aug. 22, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

Research expedition members watch and discuss footage sent back by China's self-developed Haiqin, a 6,000-meter deep-sea remotely operated vehicle (ROV), onboard ship Zhong Shan Da Xue in the South China Sea, Aug. 22, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

Link to the report: https://english.news.cn/20250824/2aa27942c7404e548c470c2afafcbfc4/c.html