This paper describes the development process of Smart ROVLATIS, from initial design concepts to test trials. Smart ROVLATIS is a novel, multi-mode of operation marine robotics vehicle for operational flexibility in high-resolution near seabed survey from shallow inshore waters out to the continental shelf edge. The vehicle can operate in surface-tow mode, surface-thrusted mode and ROV operation mode. The main features include a state-of-the-art navigation suite, patent-pending synchronisation of sonar (multibeam, sidescan, DVL) and advanced control system with superior performance (including built-in autotuning of low-level controllers, accurate dynamic positioning in presence of waves and ocean currents, thruster fault-tolerant control in 6 DOF and accurate automatic way-point navigation). The vehicle can be used as a target platform in various scenarios (research and scientific projects, inspections, seabed survey missions, vision experiments etc.). © 2009 IFAC.