ROV-26 is an experimental Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) developed under the Robotics and Machine Intelligence (RMI) initiative for underwater inspection, sensing, and robotic intervention tasks.
The platform is designed as a modular underwater robotics system capable of precise maneuvering, real-time sensing, and future autonomous operation. It aims to support applications such as structural inspection, marine monitoring, and experimental underwater robotics research.
- Project Overview
- Motivation
- System Architecture
- Mechanical Design
- Propulsion System
- Electronics and Computing Architecture
- Simulation
- Applications
- Repository Structure
- Current Development Status
- Future Work
- Acknowledgements
ROV-26 is designed as a multi-purpose underwater robotic platform capable of operating in environments where human divers face limitations due to depth, safety, or accessibility constraints.
The system emphasizes:
- Modular hardware architecture
- High maneuverability in confined underwater environments
- Expandable sensing and payload capability
- Hybrid computing for perception and control
The vehicle utilizes a vectored multi-thruster configuration enabling six degrees of freedom (6-DOF) motion control.
Underwater inspection and maintenance tasks are traditionally performed by divers or large industrial ROV systems. These approaches often involve:
- High operational cost
- Safety risks for divers
- Limited accessibility in confined environments
A compact, modular ROV platform enables:
- Safer underwater inspection
- Reduced operational cost
- Rapid experimentation in underwater robotics
The goal of ROV-26 is to create a research-grade underwater robotic platform that can later evolve toward semi-autonomous or fully autonomous operation.
The system architecture is designed around three main subsystems:
Provides the structural framework for propulsion, electronics housing, and sensor payloads.
Responsible for low-level actuation and sensor interfacing.
Handles perception, video processing, and higher-level decision making.
The hybrid architecture allows distributed processing between embedded control hardware and edge AI computing modules.
The vehicle follows an open-frame modular design which allows easy integration of additional sensors and payload systems.
Key mechanical design goals include:
- Structural rigidity with minimal hydrodynamic drag
- Modular mounting points for sensors and actuators
- Easy access for maintenance and upgrades
The open frame design also allows flexibility for research experimentation and rapid iteration.
ROV-26 uses an eight-thruster propulsion configuration enabling full six-degree-of-freedom movement.
4 Horizontal Thrusters
- Provide forward and lateral motion
- Enable yaw rotation through differential thrust
4 Vertical Thrusters
- Control depth and vertical stabilization
- Assist with pitch and roll control
This configuration enables:
- Surge (forward/backward motion)
- Sway (lateral movement)
- Heave (vertical movement)
- Roll
- Pitch
- Yaw
The propulsion architecture allows precise maneuvering and station-keeping in underwater environments.
The ROV uses a hybrid embedded computing pipeline consisting of a microcontroller and an edge AI computer.
Responsible for:
- Thruster control
- Sensor interfacing
- Low-level control loops
- Real-time system stability
Responsible for:
- Computer vision processing
- AI-based perception algorithms
- Sensor fusion and data processing
- High-level mission planning
This distributed architecture allows real-time control combined with advanced onboard perception capabilities.
Before deploying hardware prototypes, simulation environments are used to evaluate:
- Vehicle dynamics
- Thruster configuration performance
- Stability and maneuverability
Simulation allows early testing of:
- Control algorithms
- Vehicle motion behavior
- System design validation
Simulation videos demonstrating vehicle behavior are included in the repository.
ROV-26 can support several underwater tasks including:
Inspection of underwater structures such as:
- Pipelines
- Ports and piers
- Submerged infrastructure
Observation and monitoring of marine ecosystems.
Collection of underwater environmental data such as:
- Water quality
- Temperature
- Pollution indicators
Development and testing of:
- underwater control algorithms
- perception systems
- autonomous robotics technologies
The project is currently in the prototype development stage.
Completed:
- Mechanical design of ROV structure
- CAD modeling of system components
- Initial simulation of vehicle dynamics
- Prototype assembly and hardware testing
Under development:
- Thruster control firmware
- Sensor integration
- Real-time telemetry system
The platform is designed to support several future upgrades.
Development of AI-based underwater navigation.
Integration of sensors such as:
- sonar
- chemical sensors
- environmental probes
Robotic arm for sampling and intervention tasks.
Coordinated operation of multiple small ROV platforms.
This project is developed under the Robotics and Machine Intelligence (RMI) initiative as part of ongoing research and experimentation in underwater robotics systems.
This repository is intended for research and educational purposes.