Ship Hull Inspection using Remotely Operated Vehicle

Abstract

This paper describes the application of a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) platform for underwater ship hull inspection. A typical steel ship hull faced the problem of rust, cracks, corrosion, and marine growth due to the reactions of seawater. A diver is normally tasked to do the visual inspection before any repair is done at the damaged section. It is a risk to human divers and a safety issue that must be considered during the operation. Underwater, Control and Robotics Group (UCRG) USM has developed a prototype of a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) for underwater inspection of the ship hull. It is advantageous for the ROV platform to conduct the exploration in a risky underwater environment or impractical for human divers such as underwater exploration. The ROV is guided by a human pilot through a cable providing the power and data communication medium to perform a localized inspection. The ROV is equipped with an underwater camera, lighting source, and several sensors to collect data and information regarding the ship hull’s condition during the inspection. The thrusters module provides the required movement for the ROV to move around the ship hull for inspection. The performance of the ROV prototype is suitable to execute the underwater ship hull inspection in a real environment.