Seabotix vLVB 300

This topic has 5 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 2 months ago by Jean Bizard.

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May 17, 2012 at 7:53 am #5125

JEAN MARC MORO
Participant

Hi guys,
I need experience feedback on vLVB 300.
One of you have been using vLVB300 offshore for survey and drilling assistance ? Do you think it’s possible to carry out very light visual work.
Main question is the current. Of course we use usually Super MOhawk and Cougar but at the moment we do have only onsite this seabotix. Before flying we would like advises from you if you experimented this micro rov.
Detph is 25 metres.
Thanks you all

May 17, 2012 at 8:28 am #32581

James McLauchlan
Participant

If there is little or no current you will be OK. If there is anything over about .5kt you may struggle and might get into all sorts of trouble with the vehicle.

May 29, 2012 at 2:52 pm #32583

Steve Van Meter
Participant

Regarding offshore OIl & Gas support with small ROV. I would highly recommend you look closely at the VideoRay Pro 4 system (www.videoray.com). I have been using it successfully for offshore jobs on oil rigs, ships, pipeline inspection and other types of traditional work class ROV support missions. There are several other guys also using the VideoRay Pro 4 for offshore.

Cheers

Steve

videoraypro4_149.jpg

May 29, 2012 at 7:15 pm #32582

John Scanlon
Participant

Statement from SeaBotix, Inc.

—
Counter to the statement made that the vLBV300 will struggle in currents exceeding 0.5 knots, the vLBV has undergone extensive flume tank testing by an allied Naval department with verified operation in 1.86 knots of current. Additional notes should be considered that the vLBV not only operated head-on in 1.86 knots, but also laterally. Further field testing has concluded that the vLBV will operate in currents exceeding 1.86 knots, but has not yet been independently validated. Additionally, a long-time SeaBotix client who previously operated a Seaeye Falcon has found that the vLBV will effectively operate in more demanding conditions.
—

Thank you.

vlbv_with_diver__flume_tank_test_2012_143.jpg

May 31, 2012 at 2:10 pm #32584

Craig Thorngren
Participant

I’ve been using the VideoRay Pro4 for several years now and have found it to operate in some of the most demanding conditions. Here is a link to a video showing it in use in West Africa inspecting a methanol pipeline and associated piping: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4rLTHzCTto&list=UUzCQ6puOqWgEjh203lncJLg&index=3&feature=plcp

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.

June 4, 2012 at 10:24 am #32585

Jean Bizard
Participant

Dear all,

I have a question that is a little bit off topic but has to do with the current issue considered here.

When rating ROVs against current, I was wondering whether it was about current experienced locally where the ROV is or current experienced all around the work area, therefore in this situation tether drag adds to the ROV drag – and considering its length when fully deployed, this drag is far from being negligible to the ROV drag ! This is particularly true for mini-ROVs (up to vLBV typically) since they need a quite large tether for their size. As an indication, for the AC-ROV (quite extreme case, I admit, but figures are probably similar with other small closed ROVs such as VideoRays and SeaBotixs), surface of the cable when fully deployed is 10 times the surface of the ROV !! and it is rated at 1kt current as far as I remember…

Therefore, depending on whether we talk about local current at the ROV and global current on ROV + tether, maximum rating is of course different, and also depends on how much cable is deployed, by the way… In the current case of the vLBV, 1,86kt would be the rated local current (this is at least what suggests the picture – I doubt there is 100m of cable behind the ROV !), while the 0,5kt experienced before would be about the global current the system (ROV + tether) may face. What do you guys think ?
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