Homebuilt ROVs Forum

hi all,

I’d like to say hi to everyone and start getting involved with the forum after lurking on here for a while. Here are some photos of my ROV build. I had hoped to have finished it by now but I’ve been away a lot with work and only now getting to back to the build. I wanted a very sturdy RoV and It will be a bit of a Frankenstein build – Openrov 2.6 and 2.7 based controls, T100 thrusters and hopefully some homegrown parts.



plan for now is to finish the build based on 2.7 parts using the 3 thruster arrangement and some sort of buoyancy foam. Long term goals will be:

to get the 4th lateral thruster integrated (not too sure how just yet)

bespoke control Case with integrated screen/laptop

topside power

tool skid with arm/jaws


Dave

Great looking Build!

Did you have access to a CNC table or system to cut the plastic for the frame?
Like the use of the BlueRobotics Thrusters! Which ESC did you go with? (Theirs? Third party?)
And one more question... just out of curiocity...

I see you have your rear thrusters positioned at an angle... i understand the basics to why... but just curious as to your thoughts on the advantage to that layout, vs a more "Tank" style steering. (One spinning forward, one in reverse to achieve a turn...)

looks great!
Keep us posted!

Best regards,
Ryan

"KR2_Diving"

Thanks Ryan,
I must confess to having had the frame professionally CNC routed by a professional. It is 12mm thick polypropylene. I think in future I will router out a tool skid if I get on to making it or another slightly simpler ROV body.

I'm going to be using the openrov2.7 control board initially so that has the esc's built into it. Hopefully it will all work. There's no real science behind anything I've done so the motors are aligned like that as I like the idea that it may help manoeuvrability. I'll also try the T100 mounting pattern and see if a 'straight' alignment makes any difference.

I guess I'm just really assembling my ROV from parts but there are a lot of great idea's on this site so hopefully I can find a way to integrate some of them. I've been fortunate to have had the use of a videoray Pro4 for work purposes so I'd like to tinker with my own ROV.

Dave

Welcome to the forum... you Rov is looking great.

I've tried my thrusters at angles like that and I find it makes the Rov turn way to fast compared to just having them straight. Of course mine where just basic bilge pump thrusters on/off at full speed so I'm sure with speed control you will be fine.

Is your electronics enclosure the same setup as the OpenRov one?

-Steve