Node-RED for controlling Underwater ROV via Mobile Phone

Share Your Projects
1

I am currently using Node-RED to control an underwater ROV via WiFi to a mobile phone.

The Node-RED is served up by the on-board Raspberry Pi, and networked linked via a tether with a WiFi router on the end. There are a number of tabpages providing camera and motion control, ROV monitoring, changing on-board settings and parameters, and a map of the where the ROV is. Very soon there will be one displaying a real-time echo sounder plot too. The ROV is rated to about 150m in depth, although in some configurations this might be extended to upto 300m

Using a mobile phone means that you have to optimize the screen space available, The screen can also scale up use on a tablet or PC.

Node-RED provides and awesome platform for rapid prototyping and development....

5 Likes
2

Wow ! Does WiFi work at that range under water ?

1 Like
3

Hi dceejay

Not quite. :slight_smile: Unfortunately WiFi signal does not penetrate water very well - I think its about half a meter?

In this case, the network tether is plugged into a Raspberry PI on the ROV in a water proof enclosure. The other end of the tether on the surface is plugged into a WiFi router power by a USB battery pack. The mobile phone connects to the WiFi router.