A small scale ROV for shallow-water science operations

Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) are a proven tool for performing highly-capable marine operations ranging from science investigations to industrial applications. While industry-grade ROVs can support an impressive array of functions, they can be very expensive and complex. As such, they are often inappropriate for use in educational programs where functional requirements are limited but low-cost access, simple designs and safe-to-use systems are paramount. Unfortunately, the common breed of educational ROVs developed for pool demonstrations and K-12/university competitions are often not capable enough to support compelling applications in the field. Over the past 15 years, Santa Clara University's Robotic Systems Laboratory has developed and supported field operations of ROVs at both ends of this spectrum. However, there is great interest in defining a vehicle design that sits in the middle of this trade-space, offering a blend of field capability with cost and complexity constraints consistent with a university program. This paper described the definition of such a vehicle class and the design of an initial ROV built with this blend of features in mind. The paper discusses the key characteristics that dictate the design of the vehicle, describes the design of the vehicle, and reviews its current capability as demonstrated in the field. Future enhancements and upgrades to the systems are also presented.