Homebuilt ROVs Forum

Hi name is Colm
I’m a newbie I have being doing a lot of reading of the forums and research and now I think it is time to start my own ROV,
Here’s my progress


(living in a small space so have to pack them away everytime I finish doing a bit of work)

Firstly big respect to Chris Konstad I am using Monterey his laptop based topside application and I really must say it is an amazing resource to make public so much appreciation to him.


The Application is amazing the Video feed is taken via a raspberry pi through ethernet to the central field area the camera I’m using is the Logitech C290 it is working well with the raspberry pi and monterey if any one is looking for a camera for this setup.

The Ethernet is managed by an old broadband router that I had lying around the house on the topside and a small 5 port switch in the ROV its a TP-link something or other, it was the cheapest and smallest I could find that will run on a 12V battery

Control for the rest of the ROV is from an arduino UNO with an ethernet shield and at the moment I have the almighty Chris Konstad’s bottomside code controlled from the laptop and operating a relay and a servo the relay will be for the lights and I may add a couple of other bits in time and the servo will be for tilting the camera I don’t think I will be adding a pan function but it depends on how I design the hull.

Thats all the stuff I have working now I have to figure out how to change the bottomside code to my motors I am not using esc’s I am using these drivers (see image)
I bought 3 of these on ebay another impulse purchase,
The Motors are 3 Bilge Pumps,
like I say I am a newbie and thought this was a good idea but the more I read the more I begin to question myself anyway they are 1100 gph bilge pumps from ebay

So with a couple of lines of code I can control the motors direct from the arduino with PWM but my current problem is changing the bottomside code for the arduino to control these motors.

I will post all progress and appreciate any thoughts, comments, inspiration, suggestions and help

Thanks for reading

I love it when it gets to the stage where one has something tactile to fiddle with. Good find on the software - I wasn't aware of it until your post ! Might have a butchers at that later =)

I feel your pain with packing things away each time your done - i'm in the same boat - but your lack of space is the equivalent to my wife giving me dirty looks while i'm surrounded by parts on the livingroom floor...

Ya the software is amazing can't stress that enough
https://github.com/rovsuite
Here is the link and whatever solution I come up with I will post the coding of mine here

Every man should have a shed.

Great to see you building your rov man. Positive vibes heading your way. (& a guinnesss..)

I see lots of bits... But no Hull of 'Frame' or am I missing a post...

Hi Bill no I am still sorting out the electrics as of yet once I have all the systems running I start on the housing I'll post the CAD and build as it goes together