What Chasing Innovation does

Chasing Innovation (Shenzhen Chasing-Innovation Technology Co., Ltd.) is a Shenzhen-based designer and manufacturer of consumer and industrial underwater drones and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), founded in April 2016 by a team drawn from Huawei, BYD, CSIC, LG, and Foxconn. The company's product portfolio spans entry-level consumer drones (CHASING DORY at $509-$569, CHASING Dory Explore with metal detection, and the 4K-capable GLADIUS MINI S at $1,039-$1,539), industrial-grade ROVs (M2, M2 S, M2 PRO, M2 PRO MAX) for aquaculture, hull inspection, search and rescue, and scientific research, the flagship CHASING X industrial ROV with 350m depth, 8-thruster OctoDrive architecture, and an SDK open platform for AI customization, and the L1 Ultra autonomous pool-cleaning robot launched in November 2025 with 360-degree LiDAR mapping and AI vision. Core technology includes the proprietary AnchorX Smart Omnidirectional Anti-Current System (operational in currents up to 4.5 knots), modular hardware architecture for after-sales serviceability, an underwater electronic pan-tilt (e-PTZ) camera with 180-degree hemispherical field of view, and an SDK enabling partner-developed applications for intelligent identification, cruise, measurement, obstacle avoidance, tracking, and flaw detection.

Chasing Innovation generates revenue primarily through one-time hardware sales via its chasing.com online store, a global authorized distributor network spanning 100+ countries with offline retail and dedicated professional service centers, and direct enterprise field sales for the CHASING X industrial ROV priced on custom quotation. The company maintains regional offices in Chengdu, Beijing, Kunming, and Qingdao, plus a wholly-owned US subsidiary in Spokane, Washington, with segmented after-sales support covering Europe, Asia/Oceania, and the Americas/Africa. The company has secured over 300 patented inventions and 100+ awards including multiple iF Design Awards, Red Dot Design Awards, and a Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center designation, supporting a vertically-segmented go-to-market targeting aquaculture operators, shipping and port operators, emergency response agencies, offshore wind and oil & gas inspection teams, scientific researchers, and consumer adventurers.

The company is privately held with cumulative disclosed funding of approximately $32.8M across seven rounds from 2017 through March 2026, with investors including Shenzhen Capital Group, China Telecom Group Investment, Qianhai Fund of Funds, Plum Ventures, TopoScend Capital, Dachuang Ruifeng, Nanshan War Xintou, Zhengxin Capital, and Liwan Venture Capital. Headcount stands at approximately 300 employees including 80+ R&D personnel, and the company continues to operate and ship new products as of 2025-2026.

Name

Chasing Innovation

Legal name

Shenzhen Chasing-Innovation Technology Co., Ltd.

Website

https://chasing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Chasing Innovation designs and manufactures consumer and industrial underwater drones (ROVs) from Shenzhen, serving aquaculture, hull inspection, search-and-rescue, offshore energy, scientific research, and consumer adventurers across 100+ countries via DTC, distributors, and enterprise sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Underwater Drones / ROVs

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)

akta.pro primary industry

Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) & Autonomous Submersible Manufacturing (IMAJAOAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV) & Autonomous Subsea Platforms (IMABAIAF), Marine & Underwater Robotics (USVs/UUVs) (HDAAAIAH), Consumer Drones for Imaging (Camera Drones) (CRACAPAD), Drones & UAV Retail (Consumer & Prosumer) (CRACAHAC)

Keywords

• Underwater drones
• Remotely operated vehicles
• Underwater inspection ROVs
• Autonomous pool cleaners
• Submersible robotics

Headquarters

HQ city

Shenzhen

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Underwater Drone Hardware Sales: Primary revenue from selling consumer and industrial underwater drones and ROVs. Consumer products include GLADIUS MINI S, CHASING DORY, CHASING Dory Explore. Industrial products include CHASING M2 series and CHASING X professional ROV with customizable accessories and configurations.
2. Accessories and Add-ons: Sales of compatible accessories including grabber claws, extended tethers, additional batteries, GoPro mounting bases, backpacks, remote controllers, car/boat chargers, and professional accessories like DVL, USBL, e-PTZ cameras, multi-beam imaging sonar for CHASING X ROV.
3. Pool Cleaner Products: Sales of autonomous pool cleaning robots including CHASING L1 Ultra with advanced LiDAR and AI capabilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Chasing Innovation designs, manufactures, and sells consumer and industrial underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs/drones) plus an autonomous AI-powered pool-cleaning robot. Consumer products include the entry-level CHASING DORY series and the 4K GLADIUS MINI S for underwater photography and exploration; industrial offerings include the CHASING M2 series and CHASING X professional ROV used for hull inspection, aquaculture, emergency rescue, scientific research, and offshore infrastructure inspection. The portfolio is sold globally through the company's online store, a 100+ country distributor network, and direct enterprise sales.

Product overview

Chasing Innovation is a world-leading underwater drone and ROV technology company offering consumer-grade and industrial-grade products. The portfolio consists of consumer underwater drones (CHASING DORY, CHASING Dory Explore, GLADIUS MINI S), industrial-grade ROVs (CHASING M2, M2 S, M2 PRO, M2 PRO MAX, CHASING X), and the AI-powered CHASING L1 Ultra autonomous pool cleaner. Consumer products are designed for underwater photography, exploration, and treasure hunting with depths up to 100-200m. Industrial ROVs target professional applications including aquaculture, hull inspection, emergency rescue, scientific research, and offshore infrastructure inspection with depths up to 350m. The CHASING X represents the flagship industrial product with proprietary omnidirectional anti-current technology and open SDK platform. Accessories include grabber claws, chargers, backpacks, and remote controllers. Products are sold in over 100 countries through authorized dealers and online stores.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CHASING L1 Ultra: Autonomous AI-powered pool-cleaning system with 360-degree LiDAR mapping and AI vision.
• CHASING X
• OctoDrive
• AnchorX

Products and services

• CHASING X World's first industrial-grade underwater robot featuring an intelligent omnidirectional anti-current system. Offers 350m maximum diving depth, 400m operational radius, 4K camera with 180° e-PTZ, and an open SDK platform for AI customization, with optional accessories including DVL, USBL, grabber arm, and multi-beam imaging sonar. Targeted at professional applications in emergency rescue, aquaculture, hull inspection, offshore wind power, underwater archaeology, and scientific research.
• CHASING M2 PRO MAX Industrial-grade underwater ROV for professional applications including aquaculture, hull inspection, emergency rescue, and scientific exploration, with industrial-grade build quality and advanced imaging capabilities.
• CHASING M2 S Industrial-grade underwater ROV variant designed for professional underwater operations including ship inspection, hull inspection, and search-and-rescue applications.
• CHASING M2 PRO Industrial-grade underwater ROV for aquaculture, hull inspection, and various professional underwater inspection tasks.
• GLADIUS MINI S Consumer-grade portable underwater drone with 4K UHD camera, EIS stabilization, 150° FOV, 100m diving depth, 200m operating radius, and up to 4 hours battery life, with support for grabber arm and GoPro bracket accessories. Sold in 100m and 200m package configurations.
• CHASING DORY Entry-level consumer underwater drone marketed as the world's smallest and most affordable underwater drone, with 15m depth, 15m operating radius, Full HD 1080p camera, built-in true color restoration algorithm, dual play mode for two-user operation, and smartphone app control. Weighs 1.1kg with compact 247×188×92mm dimensions.
• CHASING Dory Explore Consumer underwater drone with built-in metal detector for treasure hunting, featuring a 1080p HD camera, 14.5m maximum depth, true color restoration algorithm, app and Bluetooth remote control, dual-person connectivity mode, social media sharing, and a metal detector with net accessory for retrieving detected items.
• CHASING L1 Ultra Autonomous AI-powered pool-cleaning robot that uses 360° LiDAR mapping and AI vision for real-time pool mapping, debris recognition, adaptive navigation, and up to 5 hours of operation per charge.

Quantifiable outcome

• 350m maximum diving depth with 400m horizontal operational radius for deep-sea exploration
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability7 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Grey 4 Blue SolutionsregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 9 October 2025Grey 4 Blue Solutions operates as a regional partner for global autonomous marine vehicle OEMs including CHASING, serving clients across Australia and the wider APAC region. The company provides the 'Create Your Mission' online tool to help clients configure the appropriate autonomous platform based on mission parameters such as depth, duration, and payload needs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• QYSEA Technology: China-based manufacturer of consumer and prosumer underwater drones (FIFISH product line) with overlapping product positioning, similar target customers (underwater photography enthusiasts, divers, inspectors), and direct competitive overlap in portable ROVs priced in the $500-$2,000 range.
• Deep Trekker: Canadian manufacturer of professional underwater ROVs serving aquaculture, hull inspection, search & rescue, and defense. Competes with Chasing's M2 series and CHASING X for industrial inspection contracts globally.
• Blueye Robotics: Norwegian maker of compact underwater drones (Blueye Pioneer, Pro) targeting inspection, research, and consumer markets. Overlaps with Chasing's GLADIUS MINI S and DORY lines in portable, mid-depth ROVs for inspection and exploration.
• Sublue: China-based underwater robotics company making underwater scooters and consumer underwater drones. Similar Chinese heritage, consumer-focused product strategy, and overlap in the recreational underwater market.
• VideoRay: US-based manufacturer of professional underwater ROVs widely used by navies, law enforcement, and search-and-rescue teams worldwide. Competes with Chasing's M2 series and CHASING X for defense, public safety, and infrastructure inspection contracts.

Broad incumbents

• Saab Seaeye: Established UK-based manufacturer of electric underwater ROVs for defense, oil & gas, and scientific research. Competes with Chasing in deeper industrial use cases but with longer enterprise track record and defense certifications.
• Maytronics: Israeli global leader in robotic pool cleaners (Dolphin brand). Direct incumbent competitor to Chasing's newly launched CHASING L1 Ultra autonomous pool cleaner in the consumer pool cleaning category.
• Teledyne Marine: Division of Teledyne Technologies offering a broad portfolio of underwater imaging, sonar, and subsea equipment. Adjacent incumbent competing in hull inspection and offshore survey applications where Chasing positions its industrial ROVs.
• Kongsberg Maritime: Norwegian marine technology major providing subsea robotics, AUVs, and acoustic systems for offshore energy, defense, and ocean science. Broad incumbent offering that overlaps with Chasing's industrial ROV portfolio for offshore and infrastructure inspection.

Emerging players

• Saildrone: US-based autonomous surface vehicle (USV) company focused on ocean data collection, defense, and hydrography. Partial overlap with Chasing's marine autonomy technology and shared customer interest in offshore inspection and data acquisition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ChasingUnderwaterDrones
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chasingunderwaterdrones

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds7 records

Investors12 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chasing Innovation