Vehicle Maneuverability Augments Remote Controlled Manipulator Task Capability

The human diver is by far the most versatile underwater work "system" in existence today and sets the standard by which alternative systems are judged. Although existing alternatives to divers all have limitations, the trend is towards greater utilization of tethered unmanned work systems such as RCV's. As 30 to 40% of all offshore work is visual inspection, a fundamental requirement for any underwater work system is the ability to perform inspection and observation. Inspection of offshore structures dictates the use of small, stable, and maneuverable work systems with high-quality viewing systems. Such work systems can also utilize their inherent compactness and maneuverability as replacements for manipulator degrees of freedom, thereby allowing the use of relatively simple manipulators to carry out a wide range of underwater work tasks. While highly maneueverable vehicles with simple manipulators cannot duplicate the dexterity of the diver, they are cost-effective diver alternatives in many circumstances. Although modifications to manipulators on this type of vehicle can dramatically increase their efficiency, probably the most effective approach to operating and maintaining undersea petroleum installations is by designing them to be "friendly" to relatively unsophisticated work vehicles.