Challenges

Building a functional ROV at an affordable price comes with several challenges:

• Ensuring waterproofing and durability of all components.
• Designing a stable and controllable navigation system.
• Balancing the budget while maintaining high-quality parts.

Cost Breakdown

Traditional remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) cost between $3,000 and $140,000, limiting their accessibility to large organizations and research institutions. Our project focuses on designing and building a functional ROV for under $375, making it an ideal option for hobbyists, educators, and researchers on a budget.

The total cost of our ROV is kept under $375. Here's how the budget breaks down:

• Motors: $100
• Camera: $50
• Buoyancy materials: $30
• Controller and wiring: $80
• Other materials (frame, sealing, etc.): $115

Project Goal

The main goal of this project is to create a functional, low-cost underwater ROV for educational purposes, allowing students to explore marine life and practice engineering and design skills.

Materials Used

• Raspberry Pi Cam - $14.49
• Syringes - $7.64
• Camera - $60
• Wireless Remote - $40
• Brushless Motor - $50
• Raspberry Pi - $40
• 12V Battery - $45
• Water Sealant - $7
• 12V to 5V Converter - $6.50
• Two Small Servos - $20
• Soderable bread board - $2.50

Price subject to change.
Some items can be replace with cost-friendly or high efficeny material.
You can pick between a external camera (like a GoPro) or the raspberry pi and camera.

Design Process

We followed a step-by-step design approach:

1. Initial concept and layout planning.
2. Designing the frame for durability and lightweight properties.
3. Testing for buoyancy and stability in water.
4. Final adjustments and assembly.

We refined our design through multiple iterations, incorporating improvements in size, weight, and efficiency. Key changes included optimizing the frame structure for better hydrodynamics, upgrading propulsion for improved maneuverability, and refining waterproofing techniques to prevent water damage. An example from our slideshow includes using 3D printing to develop lightweight yet durable components, reducing overall material costs while enhancing structural integrity.

Power System

The ROV is powered by rechargeable lithium batteries, providing enough energy for a few hours of operation. The power system is designed to be safe and efficient, keeping the ROV running smoothly under water.

Wiring and Electronics

We use a simple wiring system, using waterproof connectors to prevent short circuits. The electronics are designed for easy accessibility and maintenance. we were able to power the 5v and 12v components through a converter so we could use only 1 battery.

Having trouble veiwing the diagram? Click here!

Current Prototype

The prototype is ready! It features functional propulsion, camera feeds, and a reliable control system, and is ready for real-world testing.

To see a video of the ROV working click here!

Our Code

We used ChatGPT to help create some code. It gave us a solid starting point, along with helpful comments explaining how everything worked. These comments made it easier for us to understand the code and tweak it to fit our needs. We were able to customize the code by adjusting parts of it or adding new features. If we ran into any problems, we could go back to ChatGPT for more help, making sure the final code worked just right. It felt like having a guide, which made the whole process quicker and easier.

To request a copy of the code click here!

Images