Hello everyone,
So just some backstory, I am in high school and going to be a senior next year. I am hoping to go into marine biology and/or engineering after high school and explore the world. Over this whole quarantine I have started to build a rov as a little project. It is based on the ardusub and bluerobotics systems. I was wondering what tips you all have and if anyone has some extra parts sitting around that they could sell me. Also how do you all get enough money to build these?
Used rov parts
Re: Used rov parts
As far as the money goes, for years i put off buying ROV parts because i tend to design 'big' with 60 features. Which makes the $$ total quite large, even buying parts and building it yourself. Each year new tech will hit the market and i'll redesign my ROV to use that.
Spending the whole weekend researching DIY ROV tech eventually results in being very knowledgeable, at least in one's area of interest. Plus in my daily life i am a Jack-of-all-trades, unlike other people who focus on a specialty, such as mechanical engineering, but can't rebuild their car engine or rewire a house.
So recently, although i am very poor (by today's standards), and my ROV build will run around $4000, i just started buying parts, piecemeal. Earning and sitting aside that much at once, not spending a portion on another important project or repair, just hasn't happened. So if i'm ever going to get it built, i need to pick away at buying the parts slowly and steadily, over time. As well as building the manipulators, the WTC, the frame, ballast rack, buoyancy, etc.
Currently the list of parts bought stands at 2 Raspberry Pi 3B's, 2 pairs of ethernet over coax transceivers, a box of various servos, pixhawk, led's, diodes and microswitches, and (blah blah blah), + 50 magnetic angle sensor chips for Joystick - manipulator interface. Empty R22 freon tanks for static buoyancy. Frame can be built from 1" EMT conduit. Have welder, will travel. Assembling gripper from #50 roller chain and a cheap timing belt. (It was easier to go and buy the cheapest $14 timing belt at O'Riellys than try to find a broken one at an auto repair shop).
Don't be afraid to use stuff other people throw away. Steel tubing, PVC, radio-control cars, auto parts, etc.
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Another thought is, if you don't intend to go very deep, and don't need a ton of functions, you could get some older (not 2.4ghz) RC transmitters, and use DSC (direct servo control) over a two-wire tether to control the thrusters, lights, etc. viewtopic.php?t=532
Realize that with this system, if you need more than 6 channels, just use a second RC Tx/Rx pair down two more wires.
I'm not doing it this way...Because i want a big heavy work-class ROV (Like the Hercules ROV the Nautilus crew has) rather than a small observation-class hobby ROV like a QYSEA FIFISH or BlueROV2.
Spending the whole weekend researching DIY ROV tech eventually results in being very knowledgeable, at least in one's area of interest. Plus in my daily life i am a Jack-of-all-trades, unlike other people who focus on a specialty, such as mechanical engineering, but can't rebuild their car engine or rewire a house.
So recently, although i am very poor (by today's standards), and my ROV build will run around $4000, i just started buying parts, piecemeal. Earning and sitting aside that much at once, not spending a portion on another important project or repair, just hasn't happened. So if i'm ever going to get it built, i need to pick away at buying the parts slowly and steadily, over time. As well as building the manipulators, the WTC, the frame, ballast rack, buoyancy, etc.
Currently the list of parts bought stands at 2 Raspberry Pi 3B's, 2 pairs of ethernet over coax transceivers, a box of various servos, pixhawk, led's, diodes and microswitches, and (blah blah blah), + 50 magnetic angle sensor chips for Joystick - manipulator interface. Empty R22 freon tanks for static buoyancy. Frame can be built from 1" EMT conduit. Have welder, will travel. Assembling gripper from #50 roller chain and a cheap timing belt. (It was easier to go and buy the cheapest $14 timing belt at O'Riellys than try to find a broken one at an auto repair shop).
Don't be afraid to use stuff other people throw away. Steel tubing, PVC, radio-control cars, auto parts, etc.
++++++++++++++++++++++
Another thought is, if you don't intend to go very deep, and don't need a ton of functions, you could get some older (not 2.4ghz) RC transmitters, and use DSC (direct servo control) over a two-wire tether to control the thrusters, lights, etc. viewtopic.php?t=532
Realize that with this system, if you need more than 6 channels, just use a second RC Tx/Rx pair down two more wires.
I'm not doing it this way...Because i want a big heavy work-class ROV (Like the Hercules ROV the Nautilus crew has) rather than a small observation-class hobby ROV like a QYSEA FIFISH or BlueROV2.
Re: Used rov parts
hey, a way to pay less is also if you have a friend with has a 3D printer. There are some parts that you can 3D print and iterate that can save you some money.
If you go to my amethyst AUV thread you will see I 3D printed almost everything. the 3D printed parts costed me around 40€.
Also having some knowledge in electronics and diy can save you some money, but, this depends on your needs.
If you go to my amethyst AUV thread you will see I 3D printed almost everything. the 3D printed parts costed me around 40€.
Also having some knowledge in electronics and diy can save you some money, but, this depends on your needs.