[1][2][3] In addition to the usual research tasks, Canghai (沧海, meaning Sea) BL is designed to incorporate photography and filming capability,[4][5][6][7][8][9][10] but more importantly, it is designed to transmit the image/data/video footage back to the mothership or shore-based command center (via satellite) in real time,[4][5][6][7] with the rate of data transmission via fiber-optic cable is faster than 5G, reaching 15G/second.
[4] To better perform filming and photography missions, Canghai BL is designed with a special feature in that it incorporates an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) Lingyun (凌云, meaning Reaching the Cloud) inside, and when filming, Lingyun UUV would be released from Canghai to work in conjunction with the latter to achieve better result.
[4][5][7][8] The cameras, lights, and fiber-optic network of Canghai and Lingyu are produced by CAS Xi'an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics (中国科学院西安光学精密机械研究所).
[6] One of the shortcomings of benthic landers is that due to the tremendous high pressure at the depth, samples collected by BLs would lose their original characteristics and properties once brought to the surface.
[11] Fenghuang (凤凰, meaning phoenix) BL is designed to carry out some scientific experiments directly at the depth or on the seafloor, where the samples are collected, without having them being brought up to the surface,[11][12][13][14][15] so that their original characteristics and properties would not be lost due to the drastic change of depth and associated pressure, resulting in these experiments yielding more accurate results.