Three years ago we heard about Oceanbotics' SRV-8, a small yet highly capable underwater ROV (remotely operated vehicle). Well, it's now got a much burlier bigger sibling, in the form of the SRV-8X Optimus.
Measuring 64 cm long by 51 cm wide by 43 cm high (25 by 20 by 17 in) and tipping the scales at 25 kg (55 lb), the SRV-8X is twice the size of the SRV-8. That said, it's still small enough to sit somewhere between being a full-on ROV and a high-end underwater drone.
The SRV-8X additionally delivers 2.5 times as much thrust as its predecessor, via eight vectored brushless DC thrusters.
And unlike externally-powered ROVs, this one is powered by two onboard swappable lithium batteries (one charge is claimed to be good for eight hours of runtime). This means that while it still requires a tether for communications with a topside operator, that tether doesn't have to be thick and bulky enough to double as a power cable.
Speaking of which, while the SRV-8 comes with a 100-m (328-ft) tether, the SRV-8X's tether has a length of 250 m (820 ft) – an optional thinner, lighter and longer fiber optic tether can be used for going deeper.
Some of the SRV-8X's other features include a depth rating of 500 m/1,640 ft (as opposed to the SRV-8's 305 m/1,000 ft); four LED spotlights which put out a combined 6,000 lumens (as opposed to two lights and 3,000 lumens); a manipulator arm with interchangeable heads; and twice the number of inputs for external sensors.
The operator remotely steers the ROV via an included X-Box controller, guided by a live feed from the onboard 1080p camera. An optional jet-fighter-like "flight stick" can be used for one-handed remote control.
As is the case with the SRV-8, the SRV-8X Optimus is designed for applications such as reconnaissance, the inspection of underwater structures (bridge supports, piers, pipelines, etc), and the search and retrieval of objects off the sea floor. There's no word on pricing.
You can see the ROV goofing around in a swimming pool, in the video below.
Source: Oceanbotics
