Here is a short demo of a test I recently did in Howe Sound, with my Remote Operated Vehicle.
I designed and built this ROV a few years ago, with exploring and documenting in mind. Dan Williams of Electronic Device Services built the electronics package. It is balanced to be neutrally buoyant in the sea, and has a tether (umbilical) length of 100 metres.
The ROV will be used for deeper/longer stays doing camera work, documenting underwater, than what a normal SCUBA dive would allow. The ROV dive bottom time is limited by the recording media capacity on the externally mounted GoPro camera. A diver’s bottom time is more limited due to the need to carefully control air consumption and depth limits to avoid decompression and other safety issues. For observation of habitat, the ROV may also be somewhat less likely to spook wildlife as much as a diver might. The use of a remote operated vehicle adds a useful tool that provides a supplement beyond a diver controlled camera.
