Yellow Submarine: The Submersible R.O.V. for Offshore Structure Inspection

Problem Statement

Underwater inspections are both costly and potentially hazardous for platform operators. U.S. regulations mandate routine assessments of submerged infrastructure. For instance, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) requires inspections every five years, while the National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) stipulate inspections every 60 months. However, in practice, more frequent evaluations are often necessary to prevent unexpected failures. Environmental factors such as water currents and depth can significantly increase the risks to personnel, leading to potential injury, operational delays, and lost productivity.

Industrial underwater structures demand consistent inspection and maintenance. Currently, ship inspections are typically carried out by deploying either a dive team or a costly remotely operated vehicle (ROV). Although both approaches are effective, each carries considerable risks and expenses. Dive crews must adhere to strict safety protocols to mitigate hazards such as decompression sickness, low visibility, and equipment malfunctions. Moreover, human divers face limitations in depth and duration, which can reduce their effectiveness for large-scale assessments.

Submersible ROVs, on the other hand, can reach greater depths and are often equipped with high-definition cameras and specialized sensors that capture detailed imagery of underwater structures. Despite their advantages, ROVs are expensive to deploy, operate, and maintain. These high costs can be prohibitive, especially for small to midsize companies that may lack the resources of larger organizations to conduct frequent underwater inspections.

Value Proposition

Our submersible R.O.V. is designed for permanent installation on the structure to be inspected, enabling operators to remotely access the device from land and conduct visual inspections without deploying a ship or dive crew.

The R.O.V. will be equipped with inspection tools and recording capabilities to document inspection activities comprehensively.

This project aims to develop a cost-effective and efficient R.O.V. solution capable of performing reliable underwater inspections while eliminating risks to crew and inspectors.