Mission Possible
Adapted by Margaret Olsen and Brandy Wilbur from the OAA Ocean Explorer Activity
I, Robot, Can Do That!
Grade Level: 7th -12th
ational Science Standards:
Content Standard A: Science as inquiry: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry;
Understandings about scientific inquiry.
Content Standard E: Science and Technology: Abilities of technological design;
Understandings about science and technology.
Content Standard F: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives; Science and
technology in society.
Standard G: History and Nature of Science; Nature of Science
Purpose/Focus Question: How can underwater robots be used to assist scientific
explorations.
Objectives: After completing the activity the students will be able to:
• describe and contrast at least three types of underwater robots used for scientific
explorations.
• discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using underwater robots in scientific
explorations.
• identify robotic vehicles best suited to carry out a specific task.
Background Information: See background information sheets.
Materials:
Mission Possible robot cards, laminate if possible
Mission Description Cards (enlarge these as large as you can)
Underwater Robot Capability Survey (one for each mission)
Post It Notes to use as bid sheets
Large sheet of paper or white board with all mission letters listed on it.
Procedure:
1. During this activity, your assignment is to investigate underwater robots that can
be used to perform various tasks that support scientific exploration of the deep
ocean.
2. You will work in groups and each group will be assigned one of the following
robots: ABE, Hercules, ROPOS, General Purpose ROVs, RCV-150, or Tiburon.
3. Fill out the “Underwater Robot Capability Survey Form” for your Robot.
4. Around the room, you will find 10 Mission Description Cards. Read each card
and decide if your Robot can handle that mission.
5. If your robot has the capabilities to handle the mission, you will bid on the
mission by placing the name of your Robot on a post it note and then placing the
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post it note (your bid card) beside the mission letter on the large sheet with all the
missions listed on it.
6. After all missions have been bid on, your group will be asked to explain why you
think your Robot is the best to handle the missions that your group bid on.
ote to teacher: This is done as a “whole” class activity, but you may want the students
to do their own internet research on the vehicles and then give them the ‘Mission
Description Card” and have them to fill out an Underwater Robot Capability Survey
Form for each mission.
Conclusions: In your own words, write a short paragraph explaining how underwater
robots can be used in scientific research.
Source: Adapted for use in the 2007 COSEE SE Ocean Sciences Leadership Institute by
Margaret Olsen, from a NOAA Ocean Explorer Activity – “I Robot Can Do That”. The
original activity can be found at:
http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/05lostcity/background/edu/edu.html
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Underwater Robot Capability Survey
ame of Robotic Vehicle: _________________________________________________
Maximum Operating Depth: ______________________________________________
Tethered or Autonomous: ________________________________________________
Minimum umber of Crew Required for Operation:
Tools:
Special Capabilities or Advantages:
Other Details:
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Mission Descriptions
A.
B.
We are planning an
expedition to study an
unexplored area of the
Atlantic Ocean near Blake
Ridge with a maximum
depth of 3,000 meters. We
are particularly interested
in geological formations,
and want to collect rock
cores and samples of
biological organisms that
may be living on these
formations.
As part of the ongoing
study of the Lost City, we
want to survey other parts
of the Atlantis Massif for
similar vent communities.
This will require a robot
that can travel back and
forth across the mountain,
maintaining a distance of
about 5 meters from the
bottom, with continuous
depth recordings and video
images taken every 10
meters.
C.
D.
We are studying fish
communities around deep
water coral reefs off the
coast of Florida (depth 500
– 700 meters). We need
video records of fish species
in a variety of habitats,
particularly under coral
ledges near the bottom
We are developing an
educational program for our
city aquarium, and want to
show some of the capabilities
of underwater robots. What
kind of robot would be most
practical for this purpose?
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Mission Descriptions
E.
F.
Our expedition is studying the
linkages between pelagic (midwater) and benthic (bottom)
communities associated with a
hydrothermal vent in the Gulf
of Mexico (depth is
approximately 2,500 meters).
We want to collect biological
samples from both areas, as
well as geological samples
(including rock cores) from
the benthic areas.
We are exploring the wreck of
a Spanish galleon that lies in a
deep canyon 3,000 meters
below the surface. We need a
complete, detailed
photographic survey of the
area around the ship, and also
want to be able to recover
artifacts that may be
discovered.
G.
H.
A Pisces submarine has
become tangled in the rigging
of a sunken freighter in 1,500
feet of water. We need a robot
to survey the situation and cut
the rigging to free the
submarine.
We are exploring a series of
underwater caves,
approximately 300 meters
deep. The entrances to some
of these caves is only about
300 cm square. We need video
images of the interior of these
caves to plan further
explorations.
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Mission Descriptions
I.
J.
Our research team is studying
an unexplored chain of
underwater volcanoes. We
want to sample geological
formations as well as
biological communities, but
won’t know exactly what types
of samples will be needed until
we can see the area. Depths in
our study area will be between
1,500 and 4,500 meters.
Our scientific team needs to
monitor the water
temperature around a newly
erupting volcano, two miles
below the surface of the ocean.
We need samples taken every
hour for a month.
K.
We are studying the
organisms associated with a
deepwater habitat (1,000 –
2,000 meters depth) and want
a complete photographic
record of the study area
(approximately 10,000 square
meters. We also need to
collect samples of unknown
organisms for identification.
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Autonomous Benthic Explorer (ABE)
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Capable of operating to depths up to 5,000 meters
Autonomous vehicle; no tether to support ship
Tools: video cameras, conductivity and temperature sensors, depth recorder,
magnetometer, sonar, wax core sampler, navigation system
Developed to monitor underwater areas over a long period of time
Follows instructions programmed prior to launch; data are not available until
robot is recovered
Operates independently during missions, but requires technicians and engineers
for maintenance, as well as data managers to retrieve information stored in
computer memory.
The Autonomous Benthic Explorer, more commonly known as ABE is the first
underwater robotic vehicle of its kind. ABE was designed and built at the Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in the mid 1990’s. ABE weights approximately 1200
pounds and is a little over 2 meters long. ABE's top cruising speed is 2 knots.
As an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), ABE is a true robot, able to move on its
own without a pilot or tether to either ship or submersible. This gives ABE the advantage
of covering large areas of underwater terrain. ABE was invented to address scientists'
frequent need to monitor underwater areas over long periods of time, a job that can be
very expensive using surface ships and manned submersibles for repeated visits. ABE is
designed to perform a predetermined set of maneuvers, take photographs, and collect data
and samples within an area about the size of a city block. After accomplishing its
mission, ABE “goes to sleep,” conserving its power supply for months at a time, allowing
for future missions without recharging its batteries.
ABE was developed by a team of engineers, who assembled what might be called the
robot's body (frame and housings), muscles (thrusters), nerves (cabling and power to
operate the motors, cameras, and sensors), and brain (computer systems for powering up
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and down and to determining where ABE should go and when to take measurements).
Each of these components presented a complex design challenge. The final design allows
scientists to program ABE to maneuver independently in three dimensions, and at a range
of speeds. These features allow ABE to follow the contours of underwater mountain
ranges, fly around sheer pinnacles, and dive into narrow trenches.
ABE's primary data collection tools are housed in the lowest of its three torpedo shaped
pods, which is sealed. The two upper pods are free flooded and contain glass flotation
balls. Click image for larger view.
Currently, ABE follows a set of instructions placed in its memory before deployment, and
its data is accessible only after the robot is recovered. However, its developers envision
the not-too-distant day when underwater acoustic transmission systems will allow
scientists anywhere in the world to receive video and data from ABE, and to control its
movements and sampling from their home laboratories
ABE is often deployed for long hours at extreme depths. ABE can survey bottom
environments at depths of 5000 meters with a variety of sensors and tools. ABE carries a
full complement of scientific survey equipment including: conductivity and temperature
probes, a depth recorder, video cameras, and a magnetometer to measure magnetic fields.
ABE is also equipped with sonar for advanced mapping, as well as geological sampling
tools.
To obtain samples from the sea bottom, ABE can be fitted with a device called a wax core
sampler. Wax coring works by pressing a heavy weight with sticky wax on its bottom
onto the seafloor. Rock or sediment stick to the wax and can be brought on board ABE's
tending ship at the surface. This process is improved using ABE's precise navigation and
video documentation tools to record the sampling process and document the surrounding
seafloor.
To ensure precise navigational control, ABE is outfitted with two separate and
complementary navigational systems. In addition to bathymetry, ABE has handled the
difficult job of “temperature mapping”. Hydrothermal vent fields are located by changes
in water temperature, called plumes, due to the high volume of heated water created at
vent sites. By swimming along a programmed track, ABE can record temperatures along
way and produce a thermal map of an area. This gives scientists the ability to concentrate
on “hot-spots” and reduces the time needed to do ship surveys of a plume field.
ABE costs approximately $3,000 per day to operate. While it is relatively inexpensive to
operate ABE itself, each deployment requires mobilization to the site, technicians and
engineers to maintain ABE as well as data managers to download ABE’s data banks for
processing.
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Remotely Operated Platform for Ocean Science (ROPOS)
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Capable of operating to depths up to 5,000 meters
5,500 m of electrical-optical cable tether
Tools: two digital video cameras; two manipulator arms that can be fitted with
different sampling tools (stainless steel jaws, manipulator feedback sensors, rope
cutters, snap hooks, core tubes); variable-speed suction sampler and rotating
sampling tray; sonar; telemetry system
Can also be outfitted with up to eight custom-designed tools such as a hot-fluid
sampler, chemical scanner, tubeworm stainer, rock-coring drill, rock-cutting
chainsaw, laser-illuminated, range gated camera, and downward-looking digital
scanning sonar
Wide variety of observation tools provides scientists with exceptional flexibility
so they can quickly respond to new and unexpected discoveries
A “typical” dive requires at least four people (and sometimes more): the “Hot
Seat” scientist, pilot, manipulator operator, and data/event logger
ROPOS, is a remotely operated vehicle designed to carry out a wide range of scientific
explorations at depths of up to 5,000 meters. ROPOS weighs 6,000 lbs. and measures 5 ft
wide x 9 ft long x 7 ft high. The vehicle operates in two modes - deep and shallow water.
For missions in deep water(350 - 5000 m depth), ROPOS is lowered to its target depth
nestled inside a large steel cage weighing 11,000 lbs. When the cage arrives at the dive
target, ROPOS exits the cage and operates freely on 300 ft of tether. For deep-water
operations, ROPOS requires a vessel with an A-frame or crane capable of lowering and
hoisting 14 tons or more; this is the combined weight of ROPOS, its cage, and the 5,500
m of electrical-optical cable tethering the entire system to its support ship. When
deployed in shallow water (<350 m), ROPOS operates without its cage.
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Engineered for Exploration
While oceanographic exploration is, by its very nature, an expensive undertaking, the
costs associated with deploying a deep diving submersible and providing for its support
vessel are enormous. This was a major consideration for the engineers who designed the
ROPOS; thus, the vehicle was built to maximize its research effectiveness on each and
every dive. ROPOS carries a suite of "core" observation tools. These include two digital
video cameras (one mounted on the vehicle, another mounted on the cage); two
manipulator arms, each capable of lifting up to 600 lbs, that can be fitted with different
sampling tools, such as stainless steel jaws, manipulator feedback sensors, rope cutters,
snap hooks, and core tubes; a variable-speed suction sampler and rotating sampling tray;
sonar; and a telemetry system. ROPOS can also be outfitted with up to eight additional
custom-designed observation tools specific to each mission. This equipment can be
installed in any one of its eight available hydraulic power packs. Examples of customdesigned tools include a hot-fluid sampler, chemical scanner, tubeworm stainer, rockcoring drill, rock-cutting chainsaw, laser-illuminated, range gated camera, and
downward-looking digital scanning sonar. ROPOS’ ability to carry such a wide variety of
observation tools on each dive provides scientists with exceptional flexibility, as they can
quickly respond to new and unexpected discoveries on the sea floor.
All data collected by ROPOS are simultaneously transmitted to the vehicle’s pilot, a bank
of video recorders, and a data-management recorder. The data-management recorder logs
all of the observational and navigational data collected during a dive, and keeps the pilot
apprised with a continuously updated readout of the ship, cage, and vehicle positions.
While ROPOS is designed to be relatively easy to operate, the amount of information
dispatched during a "typical" dive requires at least four people (and sometimes more) to
be present in the control room. These four individuals are the "Hot Seat" scientist, pilot,
manipulator operator, and data/event logger.
.Schematic image of ROPOS and its full complement of support equipment used during a deep water
deployment.
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General Purpose Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs)
• Depth capability varies
• Operated by one or more persons aboard a surface vessel
• Linked to the ship by a group of cables that carry electrical signals back and forth
between the operator and the vehicle
• Tools: most are equipped with at least a video camera and lights
• Additional equipment may include a still camera, a manipulator or cutting arm, water
samplers, and instruments that measure water clarity, light penetration, and temperature.
• Also used for educational programs at aquaria and to link to scientific expeditions live
via the internet
• Range in size from that of a bread box to a small truck
• Often kept aboard vessels doing submersible operations for safety, and so the ROV
can take the place of the submersible when it cannot be used because of weather or
maintenance problems
• Can also be used to investigate questionable dive sites before a sub is deployed to
reduce risk to the subs and their pilots
Remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs) are unoccupied, highly maneuverable
underwater robots operated by a person aboard a surface vessel. They are linked to the
ship by a group of cables that carry electrical signals back and forth between the operator
and the vehicle. Most are equipped with at least a video camera and lights. Additional
equipment is commonly added to expand the vehicle’s capabilities. These may include a
still camera, a manipulator or cutting arm, water samplers, and instruments that measure
water clarity, light penetration, and temperature. First developed for industrial purposes,
such as internal and external inspections of pipelines and the structural testing of offshore
platforms, ROVs are now used for many applications, many of them scientific. They have
proven extremely valuable in ocean exploration, and are also used for educational
programs at aquaria and to link to scientific expeditions live via the internet.
Deployment and Maneuverability
ROVs range in size from that of a bread box to a small truck. Deployment and recovery
operations range from simply dropping the ROV over the side of a small boat to complex
deck operations involving large winches for lifting and A-frames to swing the ROV back
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onto the deck. Some even have “garages” that are lowered to the bottom. The cabled
ROV then leaves the garage to explore, returning when the mission is completed. In most
cases, however, ROV operations are simpler and safer to conduct than any type of
occupied-submersible or diving operation.
The disadvantages of using an ROV include the fact that the human presence is lost,
making visual surveys and evaluations more difficult, and the lack of freedom from the
surface due to the ROV’s cabled connection to the ship. The S2 Phantom ROV
highlighted here has been rated to an operating depth of 2,400 ft. The vehicle has four
thrusters that each provide one-half horsepower of thrust for horizontal, lateral, or vertical
movement. Two of the thrusters are mounted horizontally. They allow the vehicle to
move forward and backward, and to turn left and right. The other two thrusters are
mounted at an angle, slanted in opposite directions. They provide vertical thrust (when
both spin in the same direction) and lateral thrust (when they spin in opposing directions,
one pushing water up, the other pushing it down).
An ROV operator controls the vehicle from a system on board the ship. Using a joystick,
a camera control, and a video monitor, the operator moves the vehicle and the camera to
desired locations; the operator’s eyes essentially “become” the camera lens. The vehicle’s
depth, heading, and geographic position (latitude and longitude) are also recorded.
Multiple Uses
ROVs are often kept aboard vessels mounting submersible operations for several reasons;
the first is safety. In the event that a submersible becomes entangled or otherwise
incapacitated, an ROV can investigate the scene to help the operators decide how to
respond. If appropriate, cutter blades can be attached to the manipulator arm and used to
free the sub. If a sub loses power and cannot surface, the ROV’s manipulator arm can
grab onto the sub. The deck crew can then bring the sub to the surface.
ROVs also support exploration and science objectives. When the submersible cannot be
used because of weather or maintenance problems, the ROV often can take its place. It
can also be used to investigate questionable dive sites before a sub is deployed, limiting
risk to the expensive subs and their pilots.
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Hercules
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Capable of operating to depths of 4,000 meters
Pilots operate Hercules via a long fiber-optic cable
Designed primarily to study and recover artifacts from ancient shipwrecks
Tools: High-Definition (HD) video camera; pair of still cameras to accurately
measure the depth and area of the research site and to create “mosaics”; sensors for
measuring pressure, water temperature, oxygen concentration, and salinity
Hydraulic thrusters—propellers in fixed ducts —control the ROV’s movements
Yellow flotation package makes Hercules slightly buoyant in seawater
Components that are not in pressure housings are immersed in mineral oil, which
does not compress significantly under pressure
Operates in tandem with tow sled “Argus”
30 meter (100 foot) tether connects Hercules to Argus
Argus carries an HD video camera similar to the one on Hercules, as well as large
lights that illuminate the area around Hercules.
Generally operates 24 hours a day while at sea, different teams called “watches”
take turns operating the vehicle
Six watch-standers on each watch:
Watch Leader makes sure that the scientific goals of the dive are being addressed;
Pilot operates Hercules, controlling its thrusters, manipulator arms, and other
functions; Engineer controls the winch that moves Argus up and down, as well as
Argus’ thrusters and other functions, and assists the Pilot; avigator monitors the
work being done and the relative positions of the vehicles and ship and communicates
with the ship’s crew to coordinate ship movements; Video and Data watch-standers
record and document all the data that the vehicles send up from the deep
Little Hercules replaces Hercules for some missions; Little Hercules has no arms or
tools, only gathers video images
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Hercules carries an array of cameras and acoustic sensors that are used to gather video
and other data during each dive. Most important, a High-Definition (HD) video camera
allows scientists to closely examine the dive site and monitor operations using very high
resolution video. A pair of still cameras can be used to accurately measure the depth and
area of the research site, and to create "mosaics", large images built up from many
smaller images. Other sensors measure pressure (which gives depth), water temperature,
oxygen concentration, and salinity.
While Hercules was designed to support archaeology and other scientific missions, in
many respects it is a fairly conventional "work class" ROV, very like those used to
service oil rigs and underwater pipelines. It is comprised of an open aluminum frame that
holds most of the components. A cylindrical titanium pressure case 12 inches in diameter
and 52 inches long holds most of the vehicle's electronics. Hydraulic thrusters -propellors in fixed ducts -- control the ROV's movements.
A bright yellow flotation package supports the rest of the vehicle when it is in the water,
and drops the average density of Hercules to just a little less than the density of seawater.
This makes Hercules just slightly buoyant, so it will float on the surface, but a small force
generated by the vertical thrusters can drive the ROV up or down. The flotation package
is made of "syntactic foam", composed of tiny, hollow glass balls mixed into epoxy
resin. The foam is pretty heavy -- it has a density about half that of seawater -- but it can
withstand the pressure exerted at a depth of 4,000 meters (more than 6,000 psi). The
density of this foam is about the same density as pine or other softwood lumber.
Hercules had to be designed to withstand the enormous pressure at its maximum depth.
Most of the vehicle's on-board electronics are built into cylindrical titanium pressure
housings. Any air exposed to the outside pressure will be compressed to one fourhundredth of its original volume, which can destroy other components in the process. To
avoid this, the vehicle's electrical components that are not in pressure housings are
immersed in mineral oil, which does not compress significantly under pressure, and does
not conduct electricity or cause corrosion like seawater. Electric motors, transformers,
electrical junction boxes, and much of the external wiring are filled with oil. Hercules
also uses the same oil, driven by a hydraulic pump, to activate its arms and thrusters.
Pilots aboard a support ship operate Hercules via a long fiber-optic cable that transmits
operator commands, video, sensor data, and electrical power. The thrusters, commanded
by the ROV pilot, move Hercules through the water
Hercules always operates in tandem with another vehicle, Argus. Referred to as a "tow
sled", Argus dangles at the end of a cable from the ship. Because Argus lacks a buoyancy
module and is built of heavy stainless steel, its movements are controlled by moving the
ship or raising and lowering the cable. A short 30 meter (100 foot) tether connects
Hercules to Argus, but it is usually kept slack so Hercules can move around without
being pulled by the ship. Argus carries an HD video camera similar to the one on
Hercules, as well as large lights that illuminate the area around Hercules. Argus allows
the pilots and scientists to view Hercules' surroundings from above. Thrusters on Argus
control its heading, so the pilots can aim the video cameras and lights toward Hercules
and sites of interest.
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Tiburon (ROV”)
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Capable of operating to depths of 4,000 meters
Controlled from a special control room on board its tender vessel, the R/V Western
Flyer
Tether contains electrical wires and fiber-optic strands
Electrical thrusters and manipulators, rather than hydraulic systems, allow vehicle to
move quietly through the water, causing less disturbance to animals being observed
Variable buoyancy system allows the vehicle to float motionless in the water without
the constant use of the thrusters
Lower half of the vehicle is a modular toolsled, which can be exchanged with other
toolsleds to carry out specific missions: benthic (or bottom) toosled has an extra
manipulator arm and extensive sample-carrying space for geological and biological
samples; “midwater” toolsled used to explore the biology of open ocean creatures;
rock coring toolsled has been used to take oriented rock cores from the seafloor.
The remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Tiburon is a unique ROV, designed and built by
the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute specifically for scientific exploration of
the deep sea. Since its first dive in 1997 the Tiburon has made over 400 dives, and has
played an essential role in helping scientists make several important biological,
geological and oceanographic discoveries.
With a maximum operating depth of 4,000 meters, the Tiburon is capable of diving in all
areas of the Monterey Submarine Canyon, and can access numerous sites of scientific
interest worldwide. Such sites include undersea volcanoes in the mid-Pacific, deep-sea
hydrothermal vents along the East Pacific Rise, the Juan de Fuca Ridge, and the Guaymas
Basin in the Sea of Cortez.
The Tiburon is controlled from a special control room on board its tender vessel, the R/V
Western Flyer. It receives power and control signals from the surface via a long cable or
“tether,” which contains both electrical wires and fiber-optic strands. Data from sensors
and video signals from the ROV’s cameras travel back up the tether to the control room,
where they are displayed on a series of monitors.
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A detailed image of the sensors and sampling tools on the ROV Tiburon.
Because the Tiburon relies upon electrical thrusters and manipulators, rather than
hydraulic systems, it is able to move quietly through the water, causing less disturbance
to the animals being observed. This “stealth” ability is enhanced by the use of a “variable
buoyancy system,” which allows the vehicle to float motionless in the water without the
constant use of the thrusters.
The lower half of the Tiburon is a modular toolsled, which can be changed out quickly
with other toolsleds to carry out specific missions. For example, the benthic (or bottom)
toolsled which has an extra manipulator arm and extensive sample-carrying space for
geological and biological samples. Other toolsleds include a “midwater” toolsled for
exploring the biology of open ocean creatures, and a rock coring toolsled which has been
used to take oriented rock cores from the sea floor. The combination of flexibility, speed
and safety offered by the Tiburon makes it an extraordinarily useful tool for deep-sea
exploration.
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RCV - 150
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Capable of operating to depths 914 meters
Tethered to support ship via a do armored electro-optical umbilical
Tools: color video camera, 1500 lighting, micro conductivity/temperature/depth
sensor, sonar, manipulator with a six inch cutoff wheel
Controlled by a single pilot from a control console located in the tracking room of
the support ship
Small size compared to a submersible allows ROV to have high maneuverability;
can get close to the bottom and allow the cameras to peer under ledges and into
nooks and crannies
Much easier to launch and recover than a human-occupied submersible so it can be
used at night while the sub is being serviced
Primary data collected is in the form of video
Has been used to conduct surveys of bottom-fish in Hawaii
In the event of a submersible emergency with one of the Pisces submersibles in
water depths less than 3000 ft, the first action after notifying rescue assets would be
to deploy the ROV-150 to evaluate the nature of the emergency and if entangled,
try to free the sub with the radial cutter
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The RCV-150 is a tethered remotely operated vehicle with an operating depth of 914 m
(3000 ft). The RCV-150 system consists of a dedicated winch/A-frame tether
management system (TMS) and vehicle. The TMS/vehicle are deployed from the support
ship via a double armored electro-optical umbilical to the desired operating depth. The
vehicle is then launched from the TMS and operated on a 90 m (300 ft) tether. Standard
vehicle equipment includes a color video camera with zoom and focus controls, 1500
watts of lighting, micro CTD, Tritech imaging sonar, and a simple manipulator with a six
inch cutoff wheel. The TMS is equipped with lights and video cameras to aid in vehicle
navigation and terrain monitoring from a position above the vehicle.
The RCV-150 is controlled by a single pilot from a control console located in the
tracking room of the support ship. The small size of the ROV (in comparison to a
submersible) allows it to have high maneuverability. It can get close to the bottom and
allow the cameras to peer under ledges and into nooks and crannies. The ROV is much
easier to launch and recover than a manned submersible so it can be used at night while
the sub is being serviced. The ROV can be launched several times within a night,
allowing for a large geographical area to be covered.
The primary data that is collected with the RCV-150 is in the form of video. One of the
common uses of the RCV-150 has been to conduct surveys of bottomfish in Hawaii. All
of the fish “seen” by the ROV are counted and recorded and then the video serves as a
relatively long-term record of the appearance of the dive site.
In the event of a submersible emergency with one of the Pisces submersibles in water
depths less than 3000 ft, the first action after notifying rescue assets would be to deploy
the RCV-150 to evaluate the nature of the emergency and if entangled, try to free the sub
with the radial cutter.
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