How does an ROV submarine work?

At first glance the operation of an ROV is simple, but really how an ROV submarine works , we have seen and read in countless articles on the internet, but believe me it is a little more complex than a submerged device with a long cable connected to a computer .

Many blogs describe them as “it’s like playing a video game using a joystick”. I do not deny that its manipulation is quite simple, even so, it is necessary to have a series of knowledge, not only scientific, but also computer, since if the vision data or the navigation sensors are read correctly, time and valuable resources would be wasted, which generally they are deployed on any expedition involving the use of an ROV.

In the first place, a reconnaissance of the area where the vehicle will be used must be made, taking into account factors such as. Depth, waves or underwater currents, alkalinity of the water, condition of the underwater bed and of course weather conditions because this would directly affect the vessels that would be monitoring the ROV work on the surface.

You must be certain of the tightness, buoyancy and mobility of the chosen underwater Robot. This is based on information on the site in which the ROV will submerge, since a mangrove swamp is not the same as a coral bank or an open sea with a sandy seabed and little unevenness.

Based on all this data, the team of professionals must choose the relevant ROV model for the specific job, which is adapted to the field conditions.

It is essential to take into account the basic technical components that make up an ROV:

Submersible robots have navigation and depth sensors.
They can be controlled manually through cables with high data transmission capacity and with automatic control functions.

Its main application is the visual inspection of platforms and submerged structures.

Its system is mechatronic, that is, it has a digital system that collects signals, processes them and emits a response through actuators, generating movements or actions on the system in which it is going to act.

In addition to having 4 underwater thrusters, a digital camera, two lamps, one or two arms for handling and collecting samples, a display monitor for eventual changes in the robot, and some models can be fitted with a SONAR for a better navigation experience.

Commissioning of an ROV

Although its mechanical parts are important, it is the software implanted in the ROV that will give it the greatest possible use. In this sense, the programmers work hand in hand with the scientists to adapt their requirements to the submersible robot.

They then connect the platform control components with the joystick or hand controls and the computer. This platform is capable of seeing in real time what is happening in front of it: record audio, video, capture photos and be controlled from the surface without connection loss.

After checking the mechanical operation of the submarine and the tightness of the compartments, the electrical control components, motors, sensors, video camera and hydrophone are installed.