1. Presenter:
Mr MM Mabaso
REMOTE OPERATED VEHICLE
(ROV)

2. BACKGROUND
• Deep water operations have been in many years conducted by scuba divers
even at conditions where it is unsafe for human such as extremely low
temperatures, mine hunting and so on. Medical literature suggest that there
are potential chronic long-term detrimental effect of diving such as:
• Decompression sickness (DCS), Nitrogen narcosis, subclinical damage to
brain, spinal cord, inner ear, retina and small airways of lung due to extended
exposure to increased pressure underwater.
• In the 1950’s ROV’s began to be in operation but their use was very limited
due to technology of that time.
OBJETIVES
Design a work class ROV to carry out subsea operations to minimise/eliminate
the use of divers

3. ROV is a tethered
underwater mobile device. It
is operated by a crew aboard
a vessel.
Applications:
• Mine hunting and mine
breaking
• Pipeline and platform
Inspection
• Subsea installations
• Diver observation
• Object location and
recovery
• Capturing scientific
images

4. DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
• Maximum diving depth: 3Km
• Diving duration: no limit
• Maximum allowable operational speed: 3knots (1,54m/s)
• Frame dimensions: 1,3m×0,7m×1m
• Weight in air: 100Kg
• Maximum payload: 100Kg
• Propulsion system: 6 propellers and 2 ballast cylinders
• Input power demand: 2Kw
• Neutral buoyant at 1m below ocean surface
• Total variable force: 612N

5. Launching and recovery
system
• ROV is kept aboard a
vessel inside a cage.
• It is launched by lifting the
cage and dip it into ocean
until the ROV is fully
submerged.
• Rear thrusters will then
propel the ROV forward.
• Recovery is performed
the same way, a skilled
pilot will steer ROV onto
the cage.
• The cage is then brought
back aboard a vessel.

6. Propulsion and buoyancy
• Six propellers and two
ballast cylinders are used
for propulsion.
• There are two cylinders in
x, y and z direction.
• Two ballast cylinders are
used as buoyancy control
device (BCD).
• Approximately 2Kw is
required to drive two
thrusters.
• Ballast cylinders will
reduce power demand.

7. Frame
• Frame material must
have density close to sea
water to allow for easy
neutral buoyancy.
• Acrylonitrile Butadiene
Styrene (ABS) material
was used for a frame
• The frame is design with
slots to reduce drag
forces on the frame while
leaving the room for other
components.
• ABS has good corrosion
resistance and high yield
strength.

8. Cage and Tether
Management
System (TMS)
• TMS is used to
control the coiling
and uncoiling of
the cable to avoid
over tensioning.
• Tether length is
the only factor that
will affect diving
depth.

9. Robotic arm and
manipulators
• Robotic arm is
equipped with
interchangeable
manipulators.
• It is driven by five
motors.

10. A good material selection and part location
played a vital role in stability as it governs
centre of buoyancy. This knowledge also
ensured that ROV sinks before floating.
However in this design conducting underwater
welding will be hazardous and will require
further design alterations. A further knowledge
and research needs to be done to compensate
for this drawback
CONCLUSION

11. QUESTIONS?
THANK YOU