A slightly less yellow submarine

So, because of the sheer expense of 6″ sch80 pipe and pipe fittings (read:  several hundred dollars for a few feet of pipe and 6 fittings!), there has been a redesign!

A yellow submarine

So besides the obvious song reference, I’m starting on a new long term project (as if I don’t have enough going on?). I’m going to be building a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) with a friend for fun and potential science. This has been on my list of things to do for ages, though prohibited mostly by cost. Being gainfully employed has its benefits (ie: money).

Stay tuned for more details, as the goal is to complete construction in time for summer 2011.

Key specs:

Rated depth: 100m
Rated pressure: 1.081 MPa or 156psi

Construction:
sch80 PVC pipe for electronics pods, 1″ CPVC pipe for frame, and aluminum for cross-bars

Power source:
Internal sealed lead acid batteries

Propulsion:
Modified bilge pumps

Instrumentation:
Pressure, temperature, compass, internal monitors (temperature, voltage, current consumption, [humidity/water sensor]). Video over IP camera

Control system:
Surface control computer
Onboard microcontroller with ethernet connectivity, control via tether.