Undersea Vehicles Program

Remotely Operated Vehicles

Mohawk remotely operated vehicle underwater

Mohawk remotely operated vehicle being recovered onto the research vessel Manta
SubAtlantic Mohawk 18

In collaboration with the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, the MOHAWK remotely operated vehicle is a compact, high performance fiber optic ROV system which can be used for a variety of underwater tasks down to 300 meters including georeferenced video and digital still photography, multiple sample collection, and instrumentation test platform.

Sample Collection Skid showing manipulator and opening and closing bio box.

Sample Collection Skid suction sampler and bucket carousel.
Sample Collection Skid

The Mohawk 18 sample collection skid is a science purpose built skid developed by Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution (HBOI). The manipulator and suction sampler provide the ability to collect a wide variety of sample sizes, textures, and consistencies. All samples can be geo-located so that the ROV can return to the exact spot in the future if necessary. Please see the user's guide for additional specifications on the collection skid.
Pilot, Lance Horn, controls the Mohawk remotely operated vehicle from the pilot's station

Control equipment for the Mohawk ROV is conveniently contained in rack mount cases for easy transportation and set up. A pilot station provides multiple video feeds, tracking information, touch screen diagnostics, and hand control box.
Hypack navigation software showing ROV, ship, and bottom features

The ROV uses an integrated navigation system to provide real time tracking of the ROV and ship to the ROV operator and the support vessel's bridge for navigation. Ship and ROV positions with ROV depth, heading and altimeter reading are logged for each dive and provided to the scientist in an Excel file. Geo-referenced .tif files can be used as background files to aid in ROV and support vessel navigation.
Phantom 300 ROV being launched from ship
PHANTOM 300

The Phantom 300 is a small, mobile, easy to operate remotely operated vehicle (ROV) that can reach depths to 100 meters. This lightweight system can be deployed by one operator and is designed as an underwater platform for color video documentation. The basic configuration of the ROV provides color video with a laser scaling device, and vehicle heading and vehicle depth information on the operations console. The Undersea Vehicles Program can provide staff to operate the vehicle or training so that you can operate the system yourself.

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

Slocum glider on deck of boat preparing for deployment
Slocum Glider AUV

The UVP underwater glider, Pelagia, is a Slocum-class autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) built by Teledyne Webb Research Corporation and designed for long-duration, photic zone oceanographic observations. The glider can be deployed from small vessels of opportunity to perform wide-area ocean surveys lasting up to one month. It surveys vertically from the surface to a maximum depth of 100 m in a saw-tooth pattern while following programmed transects from waypoint to waypoint. Routine satellite communications report vehicle status, position, and a subset of near-real time scientific sensordata.