Beginner Questions for the BlueROV2

[ellieechoes]

Hi,

My adviser and I acquired the BlueROV2 in early 2019 for my master’s thesis project. I’m learning how to pilot, set up, and care for this awesome ROV myself and I think I’m a bit over whelmed. I have some beginner questions about the BlueROV2 that I can’t seem to find the answer too. (The answers to most of these questions are probably obvious and I must have just missed them, so I apologize in advance).
We had the ROV assembled by our university engineering team and everything seems fine. I assume some of my questions would’ve been answered if I was the one who built the ROV. I’m pretty good with computers but I have no experience with python or anything like that.

1. Does the Rov have a on/off switch? (I assume it doesn’t but I’m not sure. A Google search or your website has not yielded anything, or I just missed it).

2. If there is no off/on switch, does that mean the battery has to be removed/disconnected after I am done using it each time?

3. Is there an easier way to charge the batteries, that doesn’t involve me disassembling the ROV every time it needs power?

4. I have found a way to connect a wireless PS4 controller to my PC, is that a viable controller for the BlueROV2?

5. I have been unable to connect the camera feed to Qgroundcontrol. I have reinstalled and installed qgroundcontrol. I’ve connected the tether and everything. I thought you only needed Qground to operate the ROV do you need pixie and ardu too? (I only ask because I’m trying to check of the many variables that have blocked me from getting the ROV all set up.)

6. I unfortunately cannot afford the blue robotics battery charger. I was thinking of buying Tenergy TB6-B, would you recommend this one for a poor master’s student?

7. For every update to the software to pilot the ROV do you have to always uninstall the program and re-install?

8. I will be using the ROV camera at dusk till 21:00 hrs, I assume I will be using the ROV’s lights quite a bit. Does this significantly impact battery life or are the ROV’s lights continuously on?

9. Is there a separate program for recording the video footage? I thought groundcontrol did that but from what I’m reading it may be a different program?

10. If anyone has tips for beginners I would greatly appreciate it. (Sorry this post is so long)

[williangalvani]

@ellieechoes

Does the Rov have a on/off switch? (I assume it doesn’t but I’m not sure. A Google search or your website has not yielded anything, or I just missed it).

Not right now. Due to the high currents and outside pressure, there is no off-the-shelf switch that we can use.

@ellieechoes

If there is no off/on switch, does that mean the battery has to be removed/disconnected after I am done using it each time?

Yes

@ellieechoes

Is there an easier way to charge the batteries, that doesn’t involve me disassembling the ROV every time it needs power?

Not yet. But “disassembling” is a strong wording for it, you just need to remove the endcap of the battery enclosure (unscrew the vent plug, pull it, and disconnect the battery).

@ellieechoes

I have found a way to connect a wireless PS4 controller to my PC, is that a viable controller for the BlueROV2?

The PS4 controller is a good choice. It works great with QGC via USB. I’m not sure about how it fares wirelessly.

@ellieechoes

I have been unable to connect the camera feed to Qgroundcontrol. I have reinstalled and installed qgroundcontrol. I’ve connected the tether and everything.

Check your ethernet settings. You need to set a static IP and netmask. We have some troubleshooting steps here.

@ellieechoes

I thought you only needed Qground to operate the ROV do you need pixie and ardu too? (I only ask because I’m trying to check of the many variables that have blocked me from getting the ROV all set up.)

You need everything: Pixhawk is the flight controller, Companion handles sending the video and telemetry to topside computer, and topside computer displays the telemetry, video, and sends joystick commands to the flight controller

@ellieechoes

I unfortunately cannot afford the blue robotics battery charger. I was thinking of buying Tenergy TB6-B , would you recommend this one for a poor master’s student?

That will be ok. Just notice that this one takes only DC input voltage, so you may need a power supply for it. If you want to charge 4S @ 5A you need ~ 16v*5 = 80W, so be careful to get a good one, or just charge slower.

@ellieechoes

• For every update to the software to pilot the ROV do you have to always uninstall the program and re-install?

Do you mean QGroundControl? No. We have seen some cases where it had to be uninstalled first, but this is not the rule.

@ellieechoes

• I will be using the ROV camera at dusk till 21:00 hrs, I assume I will be using the ROV’s lights quite a bit. Does this significantly impact battery life or are the ROV’s lights continuously on?

You will be fine, checking the technical details of the lights, they use approximately 1A @ 16V, which means it would take at least 9h for two lights to deplete the battery. It is also likely that you won’t be using the lights at full power, as it is often not necessary and depending of the water can even make it harder to see.

@ellieechoes

Is there a separate program for recording the video footage? I thought groundcontrol did that but from what I’m reading it may be a different program?

QGroundControl can record it. But right now it does not record data, only the video itself. The recording button is a little hidden away right now: