Wanted Features for Underwater Drone before Purchasing?

Eternal Angler

Eternal Angler

Administrator
I saw someone ask a simple yet important question about underwater drones. So here it is, what features do you for before purchasing an underwater drone?

For me, my answer was stability for filming, a quality camera, lateral movement (side to side), a robotic claw to pick stuff up, 4+ hour run time which means a good battery, maybe even a 90 degree angle, and made out of tough/rugged material for longevity. As I put it, I have yet to see an ROV company cover all those, Fifish V6 is close, but stability isn't there yet and propellers get chewed up pretty quickly.

Someone else mentioned depth an important aspect as well!

I'm sure many other enthusiasts and hobbyists will have features in mind, so be sure to listen them down below.
 
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Oddmar

New member
As they say in the offroad 4x4 world, "Real rigs are Built, not Bought". IMHO this holds true for ROV's as well. Plus you have the added benefit that you are only paying for parts, not some company's profit...and if something breaks, you know how to fix it.
My added wants...
1. StructureScan Sonar for murky conditions,
2. Automatic surfacing if tether is cut w/green laser/flash unit for locating
3. Suction-pipe dredge on manipulator dumping out well behind ROV, to uncover objects without raising huge clouds of silt in front.
4. Folding/deployable outriggers with 2k lumen LED's on the ends to get illumination as far from the camera as possible to minimize backscatter. Lights pan/tilt with camera so they are always pointing where operator is looking.
5. Sample containers for...sampling. Possibly with pull-ring inflatable to send to surface immediately.
6. Adjustable buoyancy or ballast to trim ROV if you pick up stuff.
7. Onboard security-system DVR for 8-camera recording all around, plus realtime viewing up the tether via two-wire DSL-style ethernet connection.
8. Pan/tilt/zoom camera (Panasonic SDR-T70?) for main video view, possibly linked to headtracker topside, with decent still-image camera beside it for good pictures. I don't want to try and pan the whole ROV, possibly in a current with tether drag, if something interesting swims by.

IMHO, zoom is more important for the LIVE view than resolution, as there is almost always so much tiny crud in the water 4k video is pointless. But if the budget supports the purchase of a Nikon Coolpix P900, yahoo!
 
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