Application
Hull Inspection
Hull inspection swims a small ROV along the underwater surface of a vessel to record the state of the coating, the anodes and any damage, without taking the ship out of service or putting a diver in the water. The recommendation follows the inspection loop: a small inspection platform, a camera and lighting that cope with harbour water, and the sensors that place each image on the hull.
- 0 components Filed under this application
- 5 component families Recommended for this environment
Working environment
Harbour and anchorage water, often with sediment and current, and sometimes a vessel that cannot be moved. The ROV is launched from a boat or the quay and flown at a controlled distance from the hull, and the record is usually kept for a class society, an insurer or the operator's maintenance file.
Technical challenges
Staying close to a curved hull without touching it while keeping camera distance and angle consistent enough that images can be compared over time. Turbid water makes lighting and colour the deciding factor, and current around a large hull defeats weak station keeping. A defect that cannot be located is hard to act on, so position reference matters as much as the image.
Key selection factors
What decides the specification in this environment.
- Controlled approach Fine thrust and heading control let the pilot hold a fixed offset from the hull instead of drifting into it.
- Imaging and lighting Usable low-light performance plus lights aimed along the optical axis produce coverage images that can be compared between surveys.
- Position reference A depth sensor and an imaging sonar fix where a defect was seen when the water is too murky for the camera.
- Tether handling Tether weight and drag change how the vehicle behaves beside a large structure, so choose cable and flotation for that case rather than for open water.
Recommended component families
Families that suit this environment; open one to compare the parts inside it.
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Inspection ROVs
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Vision & Lighting
Underwater cameras, stereo cameras and lights for seeing and recording below the surface.
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Sensors & Sonar
Depth sensors and sonar for measuring position, altitude and range underwater.
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Buoyancy & Flotation
Syntactic foam and flotation modules for ROV, AUV and cable buoyancy.
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Enclosures & Connections
Pressure housings, penetrators, underwater connectors, cables and tethers.
Hull Inspection
Tell us where the system has to work.
Depth, water conditions, task, repeat rate and the crew operating it decide more about the specification than the headline requirement does. Describe the job and we will map it to components that survive it.