Remotely operated underwater vehicle
A remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROUV)[citation needed] or remotely operated vehicle (ROV) is a free-swimming submersible craft used to perform underwater observation, inspection and physical tasks such as valve operations, hydraulic functions and other general tasks within the subsea oil and gas industry, military, scientific and other applications. ROVs can also carry tooling packages for undertaking specific tasks such as pull-in and connection of flexible flowlines and umbilicals, and component replacement.[1]
This section needs expansion with: cover all the other applications. You can help by adding to it. (January 2024) |
Description
This meaning is different from
Terminology
In the professional diving and marine contracting industry, the term remotely operated vehicle (ROV) is used.[3][4][5][1]
Classification
Submersible ROVs are normally classified into categories based on their size, weight, ability or power. Some common ratings are:
- Micro - typically Micro-class ROVs are very small in size and weight. Today's Micro-Class ROVs can weigh less than 3 kg. These ROVs are used as an alternative to a diver, specifically in places where a diver might not be able to physically enter such as a sewer, pipeline or small cavity.
- Mini - typically Mini-Class ROVs weigh in around 15 kg. Mini-Class ROVs are also used as a diver alternative. One person may be able to transport the complete ROV system out with them on a small boat, deploy it and complete the job without outside help. Some Micro and Mini classes are referred to as "eyeball"-class to differentiate them from ROVs that may be able to perform intervention tasks.
- General - typically less than 5 HP (propulsion); occasionally small three finger manipulators grippers have been installed, such as on the very early RCV 225. These ROVs may be able to carry a sonar unit and are usually used on light survey applications. Typically the maximum working depth is less than 1,000 metres though one has been developed to go as deep as 7,000 m.
- Inspection Class - these are typically rugged commercial or industrial use observation and data gathering ROVs - typically equipped with live-feed video, still photography, sonar, and other data collection sensors. Inspection Class ROVs can also have manipulator arms for light work and object manipulation.
- Light Workclass - typically less than 50 hp (propulsion). These ROVs may be able to carry some manipulators. Their chassis may be made from polymers such as polyethylene rather than the conventional stainless steel or aluminium alloys. They typically have a maximum working depth less than 2000 m.
- Heavy Workclass - typically less than 220 hp (propulsion) with an ability to carry at least two manipulators. They have a working depth up to 3500 m.
- Trenching & Burial - typically more than 200 hp (propulsion) and not usually greater than 500 hp (while some do exceed that) with an ability to carry a cable laying sled and work at depths up to 6000 m in some cases.
Submersible ROVs may be "free swimming" where they operate neutrally buoyant on a tether from the launch ship or platform, or they may be "garaged" where they operate from a submersible "garage" or "tophat" on a tether attached to the heavy garage that is lowered from the ship or platform. Both techniques have their pros and cons;[clarification needed] however very deep work is normally done with a garage.[6]
History
In the 1970s and '80s the Royal Navy used "Cutlet", a remotely operated submersible, to recover practice torpedoes and mines. RCA (Noise) maintained the "Cutlet 02" System based at BUTEC ranges, whilst the "03" system was based at the submarine base on the Clyde and was operated and maintained by RN personnel.
The
Submersible ROVs have been used to identify many historic shipwrecks, including the
While the oil and gas industry uses the majority of ROVs, other applications include science, military, and salvage. The military uses ROV for tasks such as mine clearing and inspection. Science usage is discussed below.
Construction
Work-class ROVs are built with a large flotation pack on top of an aluminium
Electrical components can be in oil-filled water tight compartments or one-atmosphere compartments to protect them from corrosion in seawater and being crushed by the extreme pressure exerted on the ROV while working deep. The ROV will be fitted with thrusters, cameras, lights, tether, a frame, and pilot controls to perform basic work.[11] Additional sensors, such as manipulators and sonar, can be fitted as needed for specific tasks.[12] It is common to find ROVs with two robotic arms; each manipulator may have a different gripping jaw. The cameras may also be guarded for protection against collisions.
The majority of the work-class ROVs are built as described above; however, this is not the only style in ROV building method. Smaller ROVs can have very different designs, each appropriate to its intended task. Larger ROVs are commonly deployed and operated from vessels, so the ROV may have landing skids for retrieval to the deck.
Configurations
Remotely operated vehicles have three basic configurations. Each of these brings specific limitations.
- Open or box frame ROVs - this is the most familiar of the ROV configurations - consisting of an open frame where all the operational sensors, thrusters, and mechanical components are enclosed. These are useful for free-swimming in light currents (less than 4 knots based upon manufacturer specifications). These are not suitable for towed applications due to their very poor hydrodynamic design. Most Work-Class and Heavy Work-Class ROVs are based upon this configuration.[13]
- Torpedo shaped ROVs - this is a common configuration for data gathering or inspection class ROVs. The torpedo shape offers low hydrodynamic resistance, but comes with significant control limitations. The torpedo shape requires high speed (which is why this shape is used for military munitions) to remain positionally and attitudinally stable, but this type is highly vulnerable at high speed. At slow speeds (0–4 knots) suffers from numerous instabilities, such as tether induced roll and pitch, current induced roll, pitch, and yaw. It has limited control surfaces at the tail or stern, which easily cause over compensation instabilities. These are frequently referred to as "Tow Fish", since they are more often used as a towed ROV.[13]
Launch and recovery
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Tether management
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- Garage
- Clump weight
Applications
Survey
Survey or inspection ROVs are generally smaller than work class ROVs and are often sub-classified as either Class I: Observation Only or Class II Observation with payload.
Support of diving operations
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ROV operations in conjunction with simultaneous diving operations are under the overall supervision of the diving supervisor for safety reasons.[3]
The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) published guidelines for the offshore operation of ROVs in combined operations with divers in the document Remotely Operated Vehicle Intervention During Diving Operations (IMCA D 054, IMCA R 020), intended for use by both contractors and clients.[16]
Military
ROVs have been used by several navies for decades, primarily for minehunting and minebreaking.
In October 2008 the U.S. Navy began to improve its locally piloted rescue systems, based on the Mystic DSRV and support craft, with a modular system, the SRDRS, based on a tethered, manned ROV called a pressurized rescue module (PRM). This followed years of tests and exercises with submarines from the fleets of several nations.[17] It also uses the unmanned Sibitzky ROV for disabled submarine surveying and preparation of the submarine for the PRM.
The
- The MP1 is a cable cutter to surface the moored mine for recovery exploitation or explosive ordnance disposal (EOD).
- The MP2 is a bomblet of 75 lb (34 kg) high explosivefor neutralizing bottom/ground mines.
- The MP3 is a moored mine cable gripper and a float with the MP2 bomblet combination to neutralize moored mines underwater.
The charges are detonated by acoustic signal from the ship.
The AN/BLQ-11 autonomous unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV) is designed for covert mine countermeasure capability and can be launched from certain submarines.[19]
The U.S.Navy's ROVs are only on
During August 19, 2011, a Boeing-made robotic submarine dubbed Echo Ranger was being tested for possible use by the U.S. military to stalk enemy waters, patrol local harbors for national security threats and scour ocean floors to detect environmental hazards.[21] The Norwegian Navy inspected the ship Helge Ingstad by the Norwegian Blueye Pioneer underwater drone.[22]
As their abilities grow, smaller ROVs are also increasingly being adopted by navies, coast guards, and port authorities around the globe, including the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy, Royal Netherlands Navy, the Norwegian Navy, the Royal Navy and the Saudi Border Guard. They have also been widely adopted by police departments and search and recovery teams. Useful for a variety of underwater inspection tasks such as explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), meteorology, port security, mine countermeasures (MCM), and maritime intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR).[23]
Science
ROVs are also used extensively by the scientific community to study the ocean. A number of deep sea animals and plants have been discovered or studied in their natural environment through the use of ROVs; examples include the
Science ROVs take many shapes and sizes. Since good video footage is a core component of most deep-sea scientific research, research ROVs tend to be outfitted with high-output lighting systems and broadcast quality cameras.[29] Depending on the research being conducted, a science ROV will be equipped with various sampling devices and sensors. Many of these devices are one-of-a-kind, state-of-the-art experimental components that have been configured to work in the extreme environment of the deep ocean. Science ROVs also incorporate a good deal of technology that has been developed for the commercial ROV sector, such as hydraulic manipulators and highly accurate subsea navigation systems. They are also used for underwater archaeology projects such as the Mardi Gras Shipwreck Project in the Gulf of Mexico[30][31] and the CoMAS project [32] in the Mediterranean Sea.[33]
There are several larger high-end systems that are notable for their capabilities and applications. MBARI's Tiburon vehicle cost over $6 million US dollars to develop and is used primarily for midwater and hydrothermal research on the West Coast of the US.[34] WHOI's Jason system has made many significant contributions to deep-sea oceanographic research and continues to work all over the globe. URI/IFE's Hercules ROV is one of the first science ROVs to fully incorporate a hydraulic propulsion system and is uniquely outfitted to survey and excavate ancient and modern shipwrecks. The Canadian Scientific Submersible Facility ROPOS system is continually used by several leading ocean sciences institutions and universities for challenging tasks such as deep-sea vents recovery and exploration to the maintenance and deployment of ocean observatories.[35]
Educational outreach
The SeaPerch Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle (ROV) educational program is an educational tool and kit that allows elementary, middle, and high-school students to construct a simple, remotely operated underwater vehicle, from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe and other readily made materials. The SeaPerch program teaches students basic skills in ship and submarine design and encourages students to explore naval architecture and marine and ocean engineering concepts. SeaPerch is sponsored by the Office of Naval Research, as part of the National Naval Responsibility for Naval Engineering (NNRNE), and the program is managed by the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers.[36]
Another innovative use of ROV technology was during the Mardi Gras Shipwreck Project. The "Mardi Gras Shipwreck" sank some 200 years ago about 35 miles off the coast of
The
List of scientific ROVs
ROV Name | Operator | Years in Operation |
---|---|---|
Jason | WHOI | 1988–Present[42] |
VICTOR | FOF | 2002–Present[43] |
Nereus | WHOI | 2009–2014[44] |
ISIS | National Oceanography Centre
|
2006–Present[45] |
SuBastian | Schmidt Ocean Institute | 2016–Present[46] |
ROV Tiburon | MBARI | 1996–2008[47] |
ROV Ventana | MBARI | 1988–Present[48][49] |
ROV Doc Ricketts | MBARI | 2009–Present[50][51] |
Luʻukai | University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa | 2013–Present[52] |
V8 Offshore | University of Gothenburg | 2011–Present[53] |
ROV Hercules | Nautilus Live Ocean Exploration Trust | 2003–Present[54] |
Ægir6000 | UiB | 2015–Present[55] |
ROV Kiel | GEOMAR | 2007–Present[56] |
Deep Discoverer | Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration | 2013–Present[57][58] |
Kaikō | JAMSTEC | 1993–2003[59] |
ABISMO | JAMSTEC | 2007–Present[60] |
ROPOS | Canadian Scientific Submergence Facility | 1986–Present[61] |
AURORA | REV Ocean | 2021–Present[62] |
MARUM-QUEST | MARUM | 2003–Present[63] |
MARUM-SQUID | MARUM | 2015–Present[64] |
ISIS | University of Southampton | 2003–Present[65] |
Media
As cameras and sensors have evolved and vehicles have become more agile and simple to pilot, ROVs have become popular particularly with documentary filmmakers due to their ability to access deep, dangerous, and confined areas unattainable by divers. There is no limit to how long an ROV can be submerged and capturing footage, which allows for previously unseen perspectives to be gained.[66] ROVs have been used in the filming of several documentaries, including Nat Geo's Shark Men and The Dark Secrets of the Lusitania and the BBC Wildlife Special Spy in the Huddle.[67]
Due to their extensive use by military, law enforcement, and coastguard services, ROVs have also featured in crime dramas such as the popular CBS series CSI.
Hobby
With an increased interest in the ocean by many people, both young and old, and the increased availability of once expensive and non-commercially available equipment, ROVs have become a popular hobby amongst many. This hobby involves the construction of small ROVs that generally are made out of PVC piping and often can dive to depths between 50 and 100 feet but some have managed to get to 300 feet. This new interest in ROVs has led to the formation of many competitions, including MATE (Marine Advanced Technology Education) and NURC (National Underwater Robotics Challenge). These are competitions in which competitors, most commonly schools and other organizations, compete against each other in a series of tasks using ROVs that they have built.[68] Most hobby ROVs are tested in swimming pools and lakes where the water is calm, however some have tested their own personal ROVs in the sea. Doing so, however, creates many difficulties due to waves and currents that can cause the ROV to stray off course or struggle to push through the surf due to the small size of engines that are fitted to most hobby ROVs.[69]
See also
- Autonomous underwater vehicle – Unmanned underwater vehicle with autonomous guidance system
- Echo Ranger – Marine autonomous underwater vehicle built by Boeing
- Eelume – An autonomous underwater vehicle for inspection, maintenance, and repair
- Global Explorer ROV – Deep water science and survey remotely operated vehicle
- Helix Energy Solutions Group – Provider of offshore services and ROV operations
- Nereus (underwater vehicle) – Hybrid remotely operated or autonomous underwater vehicle
- PantheROV– Freshwater research center of the University of Wisconsin System
- Scorpio ROV – Work class remotely operated underwater vehicle
- Subsea (technology)– Technology of submerged operations in the sea
- Underwater acoustic positioning system – System for tracking and navigation of underwater vehicles or divers using acoustic signals
- UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage– Treaty adopted on 2 November 2001
- VideoRay UROVs – Series of inspection class remotely operated underwater vehicles
- Robotic non-destructive testing – Method of inspection using remotely operated tools
- Radio-controlled submarine, operated via radio control
References
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