I am very interested in purchasing the BlueROV2 but I do have a few questions:
Is the new low light camera included in the BlueROV2 (it sounded like it from a video that was posted on the blog) or is it the standard camera?
Are any licenses necessary to operate the ROV in the ocean or ports?
Do you know if any state qualification is necessary to run a business using the ROV (like ROV services for example) in California?
Is it possible to launch the ROV from the beach or will the waves throw it back on the beach (I am in Northern California)? On good days, the waves are like this: Trinidad State Beach - YouTube (not my video)
What happens if the tether line gets tangled up? Is it strong enough to pull the ROV out of the water using the tether?
Sorry if those questions are stupid, but I am new to this
Thanks everyone!
Oliver
I have answered you email, but I will answer your questions here as well in case anyone else has similar questions.
The new digital low light camera is included with the BlueROV.
There are no licenses necessary to operate an ROV in the USA. Underwater ROVs and marine technology in general (currently) has virtually no regulation or specifically applicable laws at all, unlike aerial drones/multirotors. You will of course need permission to operate in any private or secure areas like a port. Its also best to keep your distance from any Navy equipment!
Similarly, the are no ROV inspection business qualifications, laws, or regulations in the USA.
It is possible to launch from a beach, but the ROV will need to be walked out a fair distance to clear breaking waves and reach good water depth for operation. We have never attempted to do so without getting wet and walking it in, it would probably not be able to clear the waves otherwise.
The best way to get out of a tangle is to avoid getting tangled at all! ROV piloting is a key skill that has to be learned, constant awareness of tether position and going out the same way you came in is imperative. Is sounds daunting, but constant vigilance and observation goes a long way. The tether does have a 155kg (350lb) breaking strength, so you can absolutely pull on the tether is you think it will help. In our experience though, this will often make the situation worse- we’ve never gotten into a tangle we couldn’t recover from with some careful flying and strategy. The tether is designed to be used to pull around the ROV for launch/recovery.