Homebuilt Rov Forum

We started working on this ROV about six years ago. Our original goal when we started this project was just to design and build the circuit boards and software for controlling the ROV. The ROV itself was just a proto for testing. We stopped working on it about four years ago and the ROV has been on our workbench in dry-dock ever since. Just recently I dusted it off and took it out to a frozen lake and we were able to get the ROV under the ice for some video footage. We only went to 70 feet on this trip, but we have had it to 110 feet. Most of the parts; motors, camera housings, etc., have been tested in our homemade pressure tank to around 250 feet. Maybe this year we will get it down to that depth.

So awesome Do you really have three cameras!!! What was the total cost?? Keep up the good work!!

Jcawesome

I'm glad you like it jcawesome! Yes, we do have three cameras on the ROV. It was actually easier to add a video multiplexer circuit with three fixed positioned cameras than to setup a single pan/tilt camera behind a dome. Plus, having a camera facing backward allows us to see where the communication cable is to help prevent it from getting tangled up with objects. And I find that I use the camera that faces straight down as much, or more, than the forward facing camera. I don't have an exact cost, but I believe it was somewhere around $1500 for everything. The biggest costs being the six Sevlor trolling motors that we modified to work at 300 feet. Their original costs were $100 each.

Sweet!! I wish I had some money like that! My ROV will only be $300 with a modified webcam!!
Keep up the videos and the good work!!

Jcawesome

what did you use for your depth guage and is it accurate

The depth sensor is a pressure sensor with 0-5 volts output. It's coupled to a PIC Processor's analog input and converted to feet in the software. I can get the actual part number for the sensor if your looking at using one.

Great!But where any fish?

i am use traslator to talk.

Nice ROV and video, could you tell something more about the control system you build. Since you wrote about an circut board and I see a laptop for controls.

Merci.