Not every robotics company starts with venture capital or a massive engineering team.
Some start with two people selling their home, moving into a basement workshop, and betting everything on a better way to build custom underwater ROVs. That’s how Poseidon Robotics began.
Founded by Peter and Christine Schubert in 2018, Poseidon Robotics designs and manufactures custom remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) that help customers perform underwater work that’s too deep, too dangerous, or too expensive for divers.
Today, their systems operate in nine countries, running dam and pipeline inspections, search-and-rescue recoveries, and hull inspections for U.S. Customs and Border Protection — with marine biologists and hydroelectric facilities among their regular customers.
Behind nearly every one of those custom builds is SendCutSend, the on-demand manufacturing partner supplying the laser-cut aluminum, HDPE, and CNC-machined parts that make that kind of rapid customization possible.
Company: Poseidon Robotics
Product: Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs)
Industries: Defense Technology, Robotics, Aerospace
SendCutSend Services: Laser Cutting, Bending, Anodized Aluminum, HDPE Plastic
From taking apart stereos to building ROVs
Peter jokes that his engineering career started before he could even remember it.
At just two years old, he completely disassembled his father’s stereo with a screwdriver. His family quickly learned not to buy expensive toys because every robot, electronic gadget, or RC vehicle was immediately taken apart and modified.
That curiosity eventually led him into rockets, radio-controlled aircraft, and a NASA-affiliated university research program developing hardware for a Mars mission.
While that mission never launched, it opened the door to the underwater robotics industry, where Peter spent years building, repairing, and piloting large commercial ROVs around the world.
A combination that gave him something relatively uncommon in the industry: experience designing the hardware and operating it in real-world conditions.
Why Poseidon Robotics builds better underwater robotics
Peter saw an opportunity. Large commercial ROVs had evolved dramatically over the years, but many compact systems still relied on technology that lagged by nearly a decade. He set out to bring commercial-grade engineering into a smaller, more affordable platform.
Their flagship vehicle, the Maui, took twice as long to develop as expected and cost far more than planned. Then, just as the company was beginning to gain traction, the pandemic arrived.
With travel shutting down and expensive demonstration equipment difficult to sell, Peter made a bold decision.
In just ten days, he designed an entirely new, lower-cost ROV called the Lanai – and it kept the company alive.
ROV applications: pipeline inspection, search and rescue, and border security
Poseidon Robotics’ customers may all use ROVs, but that’s where the similarities end.
Some of their vehicles inspect dams, canals, and pipelines. Others are used for explosive ordnance disposal. Some find their way into high school STEM programs that introduce students to underwater robotics. One system helps U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspect ship hulls for smuggled drugs and weapons. Stanford University uses theirs for marine biology research. Law enforcement deploys their system to help recover drowning victims.
Despite the variety of applications, the goal is always the same: replace human divers when the work becomes too deep, too dangerous, or too costly.
On-demand manufacturing: how SendCutSend fits Poseidon’s build process
For a company where nearly every customer requires a different configuration, manufacturing flexibility isn’t optional; it’s the business model. Most Poseidon ROVs are built to order.
Some customers request taller frames, others need longer tether cables, custom logos, or application-specific hardware. Those seemingly small changes can determine whether Poseidon Robotics wins or loses a project.
That’s where SendCutSend becomes part of the workflow.
Instead of stocking expensive inventory, Peter can wait until an order is placed, purchase only the parts required for that specific build, and receive them within days rather than weeks.
When coupled with their in-house 3D printing for small brackets and mounts and laser engraving for custom logos and text, this small team can stick to their build schedules and still turn a profit.
“It’s a win for us, it’s a win for our customers, and it’s a win for U.S. manufacturing.”
Materials: anodized aluminum, HDPE, and cnc-machined parts
Today, SendCutSend parts are integrated throughout nearly every Poseidon Robotics build. The company relies heavily on laser-cut sheet metal and plastic components.
Anodized 6061 aluminum has become their go-to material for structural parts, while HDPE is used extensively throughout their systems.
They’re also beginning to move more CNC-machined components into the SendCutSend workflow as new capabilities become available.
For Peter, having access to affordable domestic manufacturing has fundamentally changed how the company operates.
Instead of waiting weeks for overseas suppliers or paying aerospace pricing for low-volume parts, he can iterate quickly while keeping costs under control.
Growing Without Losing Agility
What began as Peter and Christine building ROVs in their basement has grown into a team of six. Despite that growth, the company has worked hard to preserve the agility that helped it survive earlier years.
Peter’s experience across mechanical design, electronics, software, and field operations continues to shape how products are developed.
Rather than handing off projects between isolated engineering departments, systems are designed with the full vehicle in mind.
The result is hardware that’s lighter, simpler, and better integrated.
Advice for engineers and hardware setup founders
Peter’s advice to aspiring engineers has less to do with technology and more to do with relationships: “Make friends and get funding before you need it.”
And if you’re starting your own company?
“Expect to spend more than you thought possible and sleep less than you knew you could.”
It’s advice learned through years of building products, solving problems, and betting on ambitious ideas.
What’s next for Poseidon Robotics?
The company isn’t slowing down.
Among the projects currently in development is a new ROV capable of operating at depths of 6,000 meters, opening the door to even more demanding subsea applications.
Peter isn’t ready to share all the details just yet, but it’s clear Poseidon Robotics is going to continue to push underwater robotics forward (and deeper) once precisely manufactured part at a time.
Follow-along @PoseidonROV for the latest updates.
Ready to build your own custom parts?
Whether you’re designing underwater robots or aerospace hardware, fast iteration can make the difference between an idea that stays on the screen and one that reaches the field.
Poseidon Robotics shows what’s possible when modern manufacturing removes traditional barriers such as cost, lead time, and minimum order quantities.
From prototype to production, SendCutSend helps builders move faster, iterate with confidence, and bring ambitious projects to life.
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