DIY underwater drone ready to launch. 300 foot tether, 3 cams, suction dredge, clamshell pickup, 50 lb. magnet

bobinsd

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This is a picture of the underwater drone. Just copy and paste if you don't want to click.


1652990530168.jpeg


Oh yes, and the magnet weighs 4 ounces, but it can pick up 50 lbs.
 

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Gare

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I have one of these devices. Mine is called Chasing Mini Mine has a 360 foot teather on it. The trouble with mine here in Ohio the lakes have so many floating weeds it plugs on the propellers. Just a 3 inch floating weed can block s propeller. I have the Chasing Mini M2 package. I am dissapointed in its results. It is not taking and going throujgh a weed bed. Just a small floating weed will plug it up.
 

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bobinsd

bobinsd

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Sorry. I meant 300 foot tether to my DIY Underwater Search And Recovery Device, USARD1, which has 3 cams, 4 thrusters, lights, and a suction dredge with clamshell capture device at the bottom. Now I just need to find some gold coins.
 

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bobinsd

bobinsd

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I have one of these devices. Mine is called Chasing Mini Mine has a 360 foot teather on it. The trouble with mine here in Ohio the lakes have so many floating weeds it plugs on the propellers. Just a 3 inch floating weed can block s propeller. I have the Chasing Mini M2 package. I am dissapointed in its results. It is not taking and going throujgh a weed bed. Just a small floating weed will plug it up.
Inside my white suction tubes and in front of the thrusters i placed some 3/8 inch wire mesh to prevent all the gold coins from hitting the prop blades. Should work for your thrusters also. Just reverse the thruster if you detect obstruction.
 

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GoDeep

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Links not working. Do you have some pictures of it or a youtube video of it you could share?
 

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bobinsd

bobinsd

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Inside my white suction tubes and in front of the thrusters i placed some 3/8 inch wire mesh to prevent all the gold coins from hitting the prop blades. Should work for thrusters also. Just reverse the thruster if you detect obstruction.
1652990466980.jpeg
 

GoDeep

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Cool invention, i can appreciate the work that went into it.

A couple of questions:

-How much do you think it will actually lift? I know you have a "50lb" magnet on it, but since it has a pretty much neutral buoyancy and the propellers may provide a few pounds of lift, but nowhere near 50lbs?

- What is the purpose of the ducktape on the tubes? How well do you think that duck tape will hold up being continuously submerged in water?
 

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bobinsd

bobinsd

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Good questions. Re: the duct tape... It provides a secure method of attaching the thrusters/suction to the PVC pipe on either end without disrupting flow dynamics. Since it is waterproof, I think it will have a long lifetime, but is also easily replaced at $0.
The magnet serves a triple purpose. First, I have 3 50lb. monofilament lines paralleling the tether. The one for the magnet can be released although still attached to the rov with an eye screw (I know, clumsy). By doing this, I can retrieve any ferrous targets without straining the tether, but I can also "mark" interesting bottom finds with the magnet, ensuring that upon retrieving part of a find, I can drop back down to the exact location, currents permitting. On that same magnet line I can attach a 12 inch diameter fishnet, which can lie on the bottom with the magnet, and provide a safe depository for larger collectible items of interest using the capture bucket, which is controlled remotely by the other 2 monofilament lines.
If I find a large ferrous item stuck in the bottom or otherwise too heavy, I can "mark" it with the magnet and retrieve the rov, and develop a plan for more challenging recovery (of a safe, for instance).
The ROV actually has a sightly negative buoyancy to assist in getting to the bottom without wasting energy, but the suction thrusters can assist in vertical motion in addition to clearing out sand and silt. Reversing the thrusters will clear the bottom tube of clogs including those caused by valuable items. In that case, the capture bucket will be closed.
This has been a fun project, and outside of the electronics and associated hardware, the frame and all cost less than $60 plus my assembly time. I'm retired so time is cheap.
I hope in the future to equip a solenoid activator for the clamshell bucket rather than fishing lines and rubber bands, and assign an actuator button to the Logitech joystick controller.
 

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