The Compact ROV with Variable Center of Gravity and its Control

During Remotely Operated vehicles (ROVs) work it is often required surveying shipwrecks and sunken aircrafts and its inner condition as well as different types of narrow underwater tunnels and caves that requires wide pitch and roll angles of the vehicle to be controlled. A classical ROV has high stability and unable to work in such conditions. Thus, it is necessary to design the new type of high maneuverable ROV that provides effective working within limited space. The new small-sized ROV is presented in the article. The vehicle gives effective motion control within a wide range of pitch and roll orientation. The main feature of the vehicle is the Variable Center of Gravity (VCG) system. The article contains overview of the hydrostatic model for the vehicle with the variable center of gravity. The design of the vehicle and its systems are presented in the article. In-situ ROV poll test in water pool are presented.