What Is an Open ROV and How Can You Build One?

TL;DR

An Open ROV is a remote-operated vehicle designed for underwater exploration, built primarily with off-the-shelf parts and an open-source approach. The project allows users to create their own kits, encouraging a global community of DIY ocean explorers. This innovation makes ocean discovery accessible to anyone, not just professionals.

Transcript

(Aquatic noises) So this video was taken at Aquarius undersea laboratory four miles off the coast of Key Largo, about 60 feet below the surface. NASA uses this extreme environment to train astronauts and aquanauts, and last year, they invited us along for the ride. All the footage was taken from our open ROV, which is a robot that we built in our g... Read More

Key Insights

• 💡 ROVs, Remote Operated Vehicles, have been used for decades by scientists, oil and gas companies, but the openROV project's unique approach is in how they built their ROV using off-the-shelf parts and making it open source.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Aquarius undersea laboratory is used by NASA to train astronauts and aquanauts. The video footage was taken using an open ROV, a robot that was built in a garage.

• ROV stands for Remote Operated Vehicle and is used by scientists, oil and gas companies for exploration. The open ROV built by the speaker is unique in how it was built.

• The project started with the speaker and friend wanting to explore an underwater cave. They asked for help on the internet, received suggestions, and eventually created kits that they shipped worldwide. The real potential lies in the community of DIY ocean explorers forming globally.