Remotely Operated Vehicle Taxonomy and Emerging Methods of Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair Operations: An Overview and Outlook

Abstract

Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) based Inspection, Maintenance and Repairs (IMR) services are costly be- cause operations are traditionally executed by a hired subsea contractor, who then hires a specialized vessel with an entire crew from the vessel owner or the shipping company. Even though this is an established method considered relatively reliable in comparison to human divers, there is a growing need for more versatile, efficient and economical IMR methods. Innovations that require no or less use of support vessels are mitigating this challenge. The current ROV classifications do not adapt to these innovations. Hence, the lack of a widely accepted ROV classification. Thus, this paper reviews ROV classifications and proposes a classification that poses no hindrance to innovation and conforms to modern developments. The paper then illustrates and reviews the emerging methods of conducting IMR operations by putting together in a concise, yet resourceful manner the ROV technologies and their various configurations to provide a basic meaningful understanding to the audience. This paper also provides a summary of the comparison of the methods and some of their challenges.

AI-enhanced subsea maintenance for improved safety and efficiency: Exploring strategic approaches

“…Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) are tethered underwater vehicles controlled by operators from the surface using a cable connected to a control console, equipped with cameras, lights, manipulator arms, and sensors, allowing operators to perform detailed inspections and maintenance tasks. ROVs can operate at greater depths than AUVs and are commonly used for complex tasks such as pipeline inspections, subsea equipment installations, and repairs (Dalhatu et al, 2023). They are widely used in the offshore oil and gas industry, marine research, and underwater infrastructure inspections.…”

Design of a Bioinspired Underwater Glider for Oceanographic Research

“…Consequently, the demand for multidimensional ocean information with high temporal and spatial resolutions has also grown in order to provide quality information for decision-making processes related to marine resources [ 10 ]. Among the modern exploration technologies, one can find unmanned marine vehicles, which have been used to reach inaccessible regions all around the world [ 11 ] and which are mostly divided into three types: remotely operated (ROV) [ 12 , 13 ], autonomous (AUV) [ 14 , 15 ], and surface (USV) [ 16 , 17 ] vehicles.…”