Speedy underwater drone lets you explore beneath the waves

For the past few years we’ve been using drones to explore parts of our world we normally wouldn’t be able to discover. They’ve taken to the skies to give us aerial views, conquered erupting volcanos, and of course, we have drones willing to dive down into the deep blue sea below our feet.

Previously those of us interested in exploring way down below had to build remote-operated vehicles (ROV), but now thanks to a San Francisco startup called OpenROV, that process has gotten a little easier. 

OpenROV's Trident exploring the depths of the ocean. Image source: Kickstarter/OpenROV.

OpenROV offers such explorers a ROV kit, which the users must put together themselves. Currently the company is crowdfunding the fully-assembled Trident ROV on Kickstarter, which can reportedly be flown through the water.

Trident, which is hydrodynamic-bodied, has two rear thrusters to provide rapid horizontal propulsion, and a third mid-mounted vertical thruster that moves the craft vertically. It can descend to a maximum depth of 328 feet and can cover 6.6 feet per second. If that’s not impressive enough, it can also hover while panning and tilting to inspect targets through its front-mounted HD video camera and six LED spotlights. And unlike an aerial drone, the Trident isn’t constantly working to stay aloft, and can last up to three hours on one full charge of its LiFePO4 battery pack. 

The Trident ROV has a top speed of 6.6 feet per second from the water. Image source: Kickstarter/OpenROV.

Because radio waves don’t travel well through the water, Trident sends real-time video and receives commands via a neutrally-buoyant cable that runs up to a Wi-Fi-equipped buoy, which is towed along the surface. Although the ROV is tethered, it isn’t limited by a cable that runs back to the operator. The cable that it comes with is 82 feet long, and buyers looking to go deeper can choose an optional longer cable.

To see what Trident is up to down below, users can view its video via open-source software on a topside mobile device or laptop. Not only does this program provide real-time remote control, it also can perform grid searches of a given area.

If you just have to get a hold of the Trident for yourself, you can pre-order one on OpenROV’s Kickstarter page with a pledge of $799. Currently the planned retail price is $1,199, and if all goes according to plan, backer will receive their ROVs next November. 

Source: Kickstarter