EP 03
Diver, ROV or both?
When to deploy a professional diver, an ROV or a combination of both.
Topics
- Risk reduction
- Inspection quality
- Cost and time
- Combined deployment
Transcript
Below the waterline. Episode three: diver, ROV, or both? Remote vehicles have changed underwater inspection, but they have not replaced the diver.
We start with risk reduction: if a task can be done remotely in a hazardous environment, such as a live intake or a confined structure, the vehicle goes first.
We look at inspection quality, where high-definition video and stable positioning often beat the human eye, and where a gloved hand is still the only way to confirm what an image suggests. We also weigh cost and time: a short remote survey can prevent a long and expensive dive spread.
We finish with combined deployment, where the vehicle scans and documents while the diver intervenes exactly where it matters.