Chat > Guides & Projects

ROV - It *has* to be done...

(1/3) > >>

zpyder:
So at work we've replaced one of our Gopro Hero 2's (it got left on a reef :/) with a GoPro 3. These have wifi built in. Got me thinking if there would be a way of getting wifi/signal transmitted to the surface from around 10 metres depth.

A quick search led to this thread:

http://www.goproforums.com/11-mounts-accessories-modifications/970-wifi-bacpac-underwater.html

His idea was similar to what I envisioned would be needed. But furthermore, he captured the example video using a home made ROV, and the guide is here:

http://monitor.noaa.gov/publications/education/rov_manual.pdf

So, I now am scheming to try and do a DIY ROV for use up to around 20 metres depth if possible, on a budget.

Should be fun, especially if it works. Any suggestions on equipment that would handle the wifi stuff. Need small, low power do-hickies.

zpyder:
Any idea how I would be able to power this, or something similar underwater:

http://www.netgear.com/landing/wnce2001.aspx

As it's powerable via USB I guess it doesn't need a big power supply. Run a power cable alongside the ethernet cable from the boat, connected to some small battery setup?

knighty:
when you were talking about wireless, I assumed you meant a remove control ROV with no wires going to it...

but reading more of the thread you linked, it looks more like the plan is to stick a wifi to Ethernet adapter to the ROV and then have an Ethernet wire up to the surface?

if that's the case, then the ROV might as well have a power cable and control cable going to it too ? - saves batteries running out and any remote control problems

if so, just power the adapter from the power going to the ROV via a dc-dc converter

any idea what kind of ROV you're going to make, what kind of motors, shape etc. etc. ?  that bit is a lot more involved than the wifi adapter bit

for the wifi adapter, you just need to fine one that works for you, strip the plastic case off, plug in your power and network cable and then encase it in resin (put it in some kind of little box and pour resin ontop) to make it all waterproof

I'm guessing you'll want to use relatively high voltage for the ROV because of the voltage drop along the long thin cable you'll want to use, if you use 72v DC it's high enough to cut down on voltage drop and you can still get motors/controllers etc.. off the shelf

all really depends on how big the ROV is going to be I guess

zpyder:
Cheers Knighty. See the NOAA link for the ROV blueprints. It won't be exactly the same but will be similar.

Currently my priority is actually the camera side of things. We have the "CrabCam" setups already. Now we have the camera with Wifi, there's no reason we can't modify the crabcam procedure so that we can actually get a live feed on the surface to ensure correct placement of the frames, or just drift a boat along on top of the reef with a camera pointed down at it, recording as it goes.

The camera set up will essentially be, from my understanding, the Wifi access point in resin, attached to the side of the camera. From it an ethernet (and power?) cable is run up to the surface. The thread above mentions success with a 50ft cable. At the surface will be another wifi access point/router, which will transmit the camera signal to a tablet computer on the boat/quayside. So I guess power wise, we'll need something able to power the adapter at the camera end, as well as the surface router.

As to the ROV, I think it will be cabled fairly crudely. Bilge pumps and the likes. I've not really looked much into it yet as I'm still trying to process the idea in my head, and figuring out whether I can get the uni to fund it or whether I'll need to do it personally.

knighty:
if it's just a camera you want to power for now... use POE (power over Ethernet)

get some decent network cable, and run power down some of the spare wires inside it

you could buy adapters for it, or it's easy enough to wire up yourself

if you need 5v at the underwater end, you might need a little bit more at the surface end, best way to tell is to try it out tbh, wire it up and check the power at the underwater end with a meter (with it turned on)

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page