A quick guide to Underwater ROVs. In this guide, you will learn what ROVs are used for, different types of ROVs and what are ROVs composed of.
ROV, stands for Remotely Operated Vehicle and most often refers to an Underwater ROV Vehicle. Underwater ROVs, also known as underwater drones, represent a crucial branch of the broader unmanned vehicle ecosystem that spans air, land, and sea. These intelligent submersibles can be equipped with cameras, tools, and sensors to perform a wide range of underwater operations—including visual inspection, sampling, and complex task execution—through remote control or autonomous navigation. Built on the same architecture and control systems as aerial drones, they are fully compatible with the MAVLink communication protocol.
Compared to traditional ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles) and AUVs (Autonomous Underwater Vehicles), modern underwater rovs are lightweight, portable, cost-effective, highly reliable, and user-friendly. These advantages make them ideal for applications such as underwater search and rescue, inspection of underwater infrastructure, pipeline and cable monitoring, and aquaculture. In recent years, they have also begun to replace heavy-duty equipment in subsea defense, offshore wind energy, oil and gas exploration, and oceanographic research.
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, technologies such as image recognition, object tracking, path planning, route optimization, drone swarming, and data mining are reaching new levels of maturity. Seamless coordination between aerial, land-based, and underwater robots is becoming the norm. The upgrade toward intelligent systems is redefining workflows in defense, emergency response, surveying, and urban management. With highly customizable control systems, drones—both aerial and underwater—are becoming indispensable tools for professionals across various industries.
What are ROVs composed of
An underwater ROV system typically comprises the five major components below: the topside control console, the submersible, the communication and power system, auxiliary tools and sensors, and user-defined modules.
1. ROV Topside Control Console
The topside control console serves as the command center for the underwater rov. It handles communications, live video feed display, and data storage. Essentially, it’s a computer sending controlling commands to the submersible. For general ROV operators, it functions as a remote controller. For developers and advanced users, it provides capabilities for programming and system customization. Choose a topside control console with a bright screen to get a better view outside. If you will be often working in harsh environments, try the rugged portable controller in the link at the beginning of this paragraph.
2. The Submersible Vehicle
The submersible includes thrusters, an electronics pod (with gimbal camera), LED lights, battery pod, buoyancy blocks (yellow part), and a shock resistant frame for protection. While standard configurations meet most operational needs, the system can be customized or upgraded. For example, more powerful thrusters for bigger payloads, larger battery packs for extended missions and additional cameras or sensors.
Choose a battery powered submersible if you have a limited budget or a 220vac surface powered one if you need long operation time underwater. Another advantage of a surface powered vehicle is easy shipping and you also save the time to recharge after each use.
If you have a flooded tunnel longer than 500m, choose our mini-sized ROV with its long distance communication system. You can use it for tunnels up to 5km and more.
3. ROV Communication and Power
For Li-ion battery-powered underwater ROVs, a neutral buoyant tether facilitates data communication between the topside and the submersibles. Typical cable lengths include 100m, 200m, and 300m. Longer-range operations may require custom communication setups.
2 Li-ion battery packs are strongly suggested for offshore works. You find an extra battery pack always helpful while working onboard.
For surface-powered ROV systems (220VAC), the same tether cable provides both power and communication. This configuration supports longer endurance. However, as power requirements increase, cable diameter and spool size must increase accordingly.
For long tunnel/pipe ROV, an optical cable system enables communication for water-filled tunnels or pipelines with length up to 5km and more. The miniature size of this ROV system fits into any pipes with DN>300mm.
4. Auxiliary ROV Tools and Sensors
Underwater ROVs can be enhanced with various tools and sensors such as: manipulating arms, sampling devices, cleaning brushes, sonar systems, water quality sensors.
These add-ons significantly expand the ROV’s capabilities below the surface, making it a versatile tool for complex underwater tasks.
5. User-Defined Modules for ROVs
To meet unique project requirements, the underwater ROV can be equipped with customer-specified modules. Custom mechanical interfaces, communication ports, and power supplies are available to support specialized applications and unlock new underwater possibilities.
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