IJCOPE Journal

UGC Logo DOI / ISO Logo

International Journal of Creative and Open Research in Engineering and Management

A Peer-Reviewed, Open-Access International Journal Supporting Multidisciplinary Research, Digital Publishing Standards, DOI Registration, and Academic Indexing.
Journal Information
ISSN: 3108-1754 (Online)
Crossref DOI: Available
ISO Certification: 9001:2015
Publication Fee: 599/- INR
Compliance: UGC Journal Norms
License: CC BY 4.0
Peer Review: Double Blind
Volume 02, Issue 9

Published on: September 2026

DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF A LOW-COST UNDERWATER EXPLORATION ROV FOR INSPECTION

Mrunali Chaple Shreyal Bhagat Kirti Bhoyar Neha Punde Stuti Rakhade

Prof.Ravindra Shende

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Tulsiramji Gaikwad-Patil College of Engineering

and Technology

Mohgaon, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India

Article Status

Plagiarism Passed Peer Reviewed Open Access

Available Documents

Abstract

This paper presents the design and fabrication of a low-cost, manually operated, tethered remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for basic underwater exploration and visual inspection. The ROV is intentionally limited to a simple propulsion and control architecture rather than advanced autonomous functions. It uses two identical horizontal brushed DC underwater thrusters, an Arduino Uno controller, an L293D H-bridge motor-driver stage, two joystick modules, a 12 V 3000 mAh battery, a transparent ABS JB2 junction enclosure, and a front-mounted waterproof automotive/rear-view type camera. Each joystick independently controls one thruster, providing confirmed forward and reverse operation. A 15-ft wired tether carries power, control, and camera/video connections to the surface, where a USB capture card and laptop provide live visual monitoring. The enclosure is specified by its manufacturer as IP65/IP67; this rating is treated only as an enclosure specification and not as certification of the complete fabricated ROV. The recorded ROV cost is approximately ₹12,330. The paper discusses the mechanical arrangement, propulsion concept, electrical architecture, buoyancy principles, camera-based inspection workflow, motor-driver limitation, fabrication, and confirmed ROV observations. No unmeasured vehicle speed, thrust, operating depth, runtime, leakage duration, or camera-performance values are presented. The resulting platform is intended as a simple and accessible basis for water-tank inspection, underwater exploration, educational robotics, and small-scale observation, with more advanced sensing and control reserved for future work.

 

How to Cite this Paper

Chaple, M., Bhagat, S., Bhoyar, K., Punde, N. & Rakhade, S. (2026). Design and Fabrication of a Low-Cost Underwater Exploration ROV for Inspection. International Journal of Creative and Open Research in Engineering and Management, <i>02</i>(9), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.55041/ijcope.v2i9.228

Chaple, Mrunali, et al.. "Design and Fabrication of a Low-Cost Underwater Exploration ROV for Inspection." International Journal of Creative and Open Research in Engineering and Management, vol. 02, no. 9, 2026, pp. 1-9. doi:https://doi.org/10.55041/ijcope.v2i9.228.

Chaple, Mrunali,Shreyal Bhagat,Kirti Bhoyar,Neha Punde, and Stuti Rakhade. "Design and Fabrication of a Low-Cost Underwater Exploration ROV for Inspection." International Journal of Creative and Open Research in Engineering and Management 02, no. 9 (2026): 1-9. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.55041/ijcope.v2i9.228.

Search & Index

References

[1] R. Capocci, G. Dooly, E. Omerdić, J. Coleman, T. Newe, and D. Toal, “Inspection-Class Remotely Operated Vehicles—A Review,” Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, vol. 5, no. 1, Art. no. 13, 2017, doi: 10.3390/jmse5010013.[2] Y. He, D. B. Wang, and Z. A. Ali, “A review of different designs and control models of remotely operated underwater vehicle,” Measurement and Control, vol. 53, no. 9–10, pp. 1561–1570, 2020, doi: 10.1177/0020294020952483.

[3] O. A. Aguirre-Castro, E. Inzunza-González, O. R. López-Bonilla, J. E. Ortega-Torres, and E. E. García-Guerrero, “Design and Construction of an ROV for Underwater Exploration,” Sensors, vol. 19, no. 24, Art. no. 5387, 2019, doi: 10.3390/s19245387.

[4] M. Manjunatha, A. Arockia Selvakumar, V. P. Godeswar, and R. Manimaran, “A Low Cost Underwater Robot with Grippers for Visual Inspection of External Pipeline Surface,” Procedia Computer Science, vol. 133, pp. 108–115, 2018, doi: 10.1016/j.procs.2018.07.014.

[5] M. Carreras, P. Ridao, D. Ribas, and R. García, “Inspección visual subacuática mediante robótica submarina,” Revista Iberoamericana de Automática e Informática Industrial, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 34–45, 2012, doi: 10.1016/j.riai.2011.11.011.

[6] B. Bartlett, P. Trslic, M. C. Santos, M. Penica, J. Riordan, and G. Dooly, “Dynamic Positioning System for low-cost ROV,” in OCEANS 2023—Limerick, IEEE, 2023, doi: 10.1109/OCEANSLimerick52467.2023.10244643.

[7] N. Satoh, F. Sinniger, H. Narisoko, S. Nagahama, N. Okada, Y. Shimizu, Y. Yoshioka, K. Hisata, and S. Harii, “Using underwater mini-ROV for coral eDNA survey: a case study in Okinawan mesophotic ecosystems,” Coral Reefs, vol. 44, pp. 209–219, 2025, doi: 10.1007/s00338-024-02597-3.

[8] I. Elaff, “Design and development of Spaiser remotely operated vehicle,” Journal of Engineering and Applied Science, vol. 69, Art. no. 14, 2022, doi: 10.1186/s44147-022-00068-6.

[9] R. Syam, A. Hayat, S. Bakhri, A. A. Mochtar, and H. Hamdani, “Design and Performance Assessment of a Mini Underwater Robot,” International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics Research, vol. 14, no. 5, pp. 525–533, 2025, doi: 10.18178/ijmerr.14.5.525-533.

Ethical Compliance & Review Process

  • •All submissions are screened under plagiarism detection.
  • •Review follows editorial policy.
  • •Authors retain copyright.
  • •Peer Review Type: Double-Blind Peer Review
  • •Published on: Sep 29 2026
CCBYNC

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. You are free to share and adapt this work for non-commercial purposes with proper attribution.

View License
Scroll to Top