A high-pressure burrowing everting robot includes a tubular body formed of a high-pressure skin and airtight bladder arranged to permit pressure to evert the high-pressure skin and bladder together such that the high-pressure skin forms an outer surface of the robot when everted. A sensor is arranged at a distal tip and/or on the outer surface of the high-pressure skin.

A pullback device for connection with a rotary drill bit of a horizontal directional drill string. The pullback device includes an anchoring portion and a plurality of arms with ends configured to engage a plurality of corresponding engagement features of the rotary drill bit.