Underwater drone for fans of non-standard fishing. Underwater drone Underwater drone
Drones are called unmanned devices controlled remotely - it can be flying, floating or any other robot controlled from a distance. For example, such machines are widely used by civilian and military sappers. Underwater drones are mainly used by scientists and rescuers to study sea depths.
An ordinary person can also acquire a similar "toy" - the most common product, abundantly present on the market, can be called various kinds of multicopters. As a rule, products are equipped with video cameras or other sensors that help to control the tasks performed.
Drone types
Underwater drones are not as common as air or ground drones, however, at the time of 2015, the technology is being actively developed by private and military companies, since, unlike a weak and living person, the mechanism is able to carry heavier loads, and if it breaks, it will always can be repaired, this industry can be considered very promising. Of course, modern models are far from perfect, and their cost is fabulously high, however, like any new product that appears on the market. However, already now there are quite effective products that allow you to perform a number of complex tasks.
All remote controlled underwater models Techniques can be divided into 3 broad categories:
- military drones- serve to neutralize naval mines, patrolling the territory of the parking of warships, for investigative and rescue purposes in case of flooding of ships and other objects of value to the military
- research- used by scientific expeditions to study the depths of the sea, caves, and other geological underwater formations, it is also used to take soil samples and monitor the underwater biosphere.
- industrial — this species Drones are mainly used to service underwater elements of structures and communications.
Trident civilian underwater drone
On this moment, OpenROV is actively promoting its version of an underwater drone - it is worth highlighting it as the most advanced product available to ordinary people. The device received the proud name "Trident" (Trident). The trident is considered the fastest robot, it develops a speed comparable to the speed of 8 times Olympic champion in swimming, Michael Phelps - yes, these are the characteristics that the developers of the device themselves brought.
Another distinguishing feature of the model is its high maneuverability, which allows you to stop and turn it around in a matter of seconds. Such qualities can be useful in extreme situations, for example, if necessary, quickly detect a drowned person or avoid a collision. David Lang and Eric Stackpole, who invented the subject, were successfully experimenting with connecting a controller from a PlayStation 4 game console, streaming video to a monitor and Google's VR glasses.
As for the depth of immersion, it exceeds the hundred-meter mark allowed for ordinary person. The creators have already conducted research on several deep-sea areas, in particular, the project was born as a desire of two friends to check the veracity ancient legend, which said that in 1800, in California, a group of Native Americans hid a certain amount of gold at great depths. This event received a response in the media, and was consecrated in USA Today.
Today, there are wireless and wired options. One of the distinguishing features of the project is its open source code. In fact, any engineer can use the blueprints found on the site to build their own Trident, which has made technology development difficult to track, since it is not known how many modifications there are in the world. For the rest, the product is sold here, at a price of $849.
Practical application of underwater drones
The US Army has long used various kinds of unmanned vehicles. As a rule, underwater options are designed to conduct reconnaissance, detect enemy submarines, or work with mines. However, in a civilian environment, devices have a much greater potential for use. Robots are largely capable of facilitating research projects related to the study of hard-to-reach areas of the ocean, small caves that a person simply cannot go into. Dozens of researchers have put into practice the product from OpenROV - the official website of the company even has a section on the work done, with marks of areas on the map.
Another promising industry is education. In an interview, David Lang, founder of OpenROV, said that he was looking forward to the day when any student could look at the contents of the ocean without leaving the classroom. Natural science, biology, history are only small part sciences to which such technologies will contribute.
Repair and maintenance of equipment located under the depths. As a rule, these are cables and transport pipes. Getting to them is quite difficult and expensive. In extreme situations, the use of a controlled robot is perfect option for troubleshooting and damage.
Underwater drones in the military industry
In 2014, the US Navy conducted more than 20 tests of unmanned combat submarines. According to the Department of Defense, almost all tests were failed due to the imperfection of products manufactured by Lockheed Martin, one of the largest American contractors. The main task of the drones was to safely detonate mines, however, during the testing process, malfunctions in the remote control system were constantly encountered. At the same time, according to Joe Dougherty, who is a spokesman for Lockheed, at the moment their system can be considered the most advanced in the world, in addition, he noted that when testing drones, representatives of the Navy exceeded the allowable limits for the device.
The US government was going to allocate $ 864 million for the purchase of underwater unmanned combat vehicles, but a string of setbacks since 2010 calls into question the continued funding of the program and the existence of drones in the form in which they are now.
Industrial underwater robots
Laying fiber optic networks on the ocean floor, which carry 90% of the Internet traffic in the world, is carried out using special arrangements. In fact, these are autonomous robots that perform tasks that are predetermined by them. In part, they are controlled by operators from ships, however, most of work is done according to the program, nested in advance. Such devices cannot be called full-fledged drones, since in fact they are just a machine, like those that assemble cars or TVs in factories. Looking from a different angle, they can be safely called the fathers of modern underwater drones, a kind of founders of the movement, inspirers.
Such machines are equipped with 6 degrees of freedom and end with either grips or a nozzle for a specific operation, such as a welding electrode or cutting shears. Perhaps the most famous and successfully used robot is robot sawfish(drank fish). The task of the robot is to cut down trees that were once flooded. He cuts them with a chain saw (its length is 1.5 meters). Before cutting, the robot screws an air balloon into the tree trunk at a distance of 15 cm from the cut, which brings the tree to the surface. controlled apparatus operator through the cable from the surface of the reservoir, through the cable (200 meters long) power is supplied to all systems.
Problems and disadvantages of underwater drones
According to Professor George A. Bekey, who specializes in computer science, electrical engineering and biomedical engineering, unlike ground and air drones, their underwater counterparts have huge problems in providing stable communications. This is due to the presence of water around the device, which greatly distorts the signal. In addition, at the time of 2012, the US Navy did not have an acceptable power source capable of operating efficiently for a long time. Precisely in 2012, Navy emphasizes the development of technology capable of performing more than one task at a time, but as already mentioned above, projects still face the same navigational problems.
conclusions
Looking at modern advances in robotics, it becomes clear that underwater drones are far from their ground and air counterparts. At the same time, it is safe to say that at the current rate of technological development, humanity is waiting for many achievements in this area. There are always many difficulties on the way to excellence and efficiency, but looking back at history, it becomes clear that there are no insurmountable obstacles, and there are always people who can break stereotypes and take the right step towards success.
What will be the capabilities of unmanned vehicles in 10 years? Ways to use drones to repair equipment and extract valuable resources are already being actively developed, and although we can’t do without a person yet, our descendants may not have to take risks. own life working in hazardous conditions.
Russia has an unmanned submarine capable of carrying the largest aircraft in existence nuclear charges, according to the Pentagon report. On the existence of a submarine-drone with nuclear weapons rumors have been circulating for a long time, but information leaked to the press from a draft Pentagon report on nuclear arsenals world (Nuclear Posture Review) confirmed this fact. Pentagon report warns of Russia's determination to continue building up its nuclear capability against the background of its reduction in the United States.
The underwater uninhabited vehicle is capable of carrying a charge of up to 100 megatons. According to Newsweek (), this is the most powerful nuclear weapon in existence. The draft report, first published by The Huffington Post (), contains graphic images of delivery vehicles nuclear weapons developed in the USA, Russia, North Korea and China since 2010.
The report says that while Russia "initially followed America's lead" and scaled back its strategic nuclear forces, while retaining many of its non-strategic nuclear weapons, which are now being upgraded. It is also reported that “in addition to modernizing the heritage nuclear systems era of the USSR, Russia is developing and deploying new nuclear warheads and launchers.
“These efforts include multiple upgrades of every element of the Russian nuclear triad: strategic bombers, missiles sea-based and ground-based missiles. Russia is also developing at least two new intercontinental weapons systems: a hypersonic glide aircraft and a new intercontinental autonomous nuclear torpedo,” the document says.
NATO warned last month that it had "serious concerns" about a new Russian guided missile that allegedly allows Moscow to as soon as possible launch a nuclear attack on Europe. According to NATO officials, its appearance may violate the Missile Treaty medium range 1987. Moscow denied the statements of NATO and the United States.
InoSMI materials contain estimates exclusively foreign media and do not reflect the position of the editors of InoSMI.
"Simply fantastic", "there is nothing like it in the world." So in annual message Federal Assembly Vladimir Putin described latest developments Russian military-industrial complex. And the head of state called domestic gunsmiths "heroes of our time."
Satan's older brother
To begin with, the president gave some statistics. Thus, the Russian Strategic Missile Forces received 80 new intercontinental ballistic missiles, 102 ICBMs for submarines, and with them 3 strategic submarines of the Borey project. Plus a number of high-precision cruise missiles increased by more than 30 times, and the number of carriers for these weapons - by 12 times.
As for the development of new missiles for the domestic " nuclear shield", then the promising Sarmat ICBM is on the way. It is capable of hitting a target anywhere in the world. Moreover, if now Russian ballistic missiles fly only through the Northern Arctic Ocean, then "Sarmat" can reach the target from an unexpected direction: from South Pole. In addition, the rocket is equipped with the most modern complex missile defense breakthrough.
They won't be chased
Sensational statement of the president: in the arsenal Russian army has already hypersonic weapons. Prospective tests aviation complex"Dagger", which flies 10 times faster than sound, is complete. Since December 1 last year, the rocket has been undergoing experimental combat operation in the troops of the Southern Military District.
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"Dagger" is capable of hitting a target at a distance of more than 2 thousand kilometers of conventional or nuclear warhead. Moreover, he is not afraid of air defense and missile defense systems, since their missiles simply cannot keep up with hypersonic weapons.
And even more so, no missile defense system will catch up with a planning winged warhead. It is twice as fast as the Dagger and has a speed of up to Mach 20. In the dense layers of the atmosphere, the aircraft heats up to 2 thousand degrees Celsius. However, the latest composite materials developed by domestic specialists do not allow it to collapse.
Rocket stayer
Another one Russian rocket about which Vladimir Putin spoke, fantastic speed cannot boast. Her forte is "long-distance running." More precisely, unlimited, since instead of the traditional chemical engine, it is equipped with a nuclear power plant. Successful tests of the stayer rocket took place in 2017.
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The emergence of such technology allows you to create a completely new strategic weapon. It will be able to stay in the air indefinitely, fly along an unpredictable trajectory to anywhere in the world and strike from the most unexpected direction. If an enemy missile defense system gets in the way of a missile, it will simply fly around it. Enough fuel.
Intercontinental strategic robots
Faster, deeper, farther - these are the main distinguishing features of promising unmanned submarines. The President said that underwater drones are capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads. Therefore, they can be used to destroy any targets: from entire aircraft carrier strike groups to ports and coastal bases.
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In 2017, tests of a compact nuclear reactor were completed, which will supply energy to promising drones. It turned out to be 100 times smaller than power plants conventional submarines, and gains maximum power 200 times faster.
death rays
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And, finally, a completely expected event - the Russian armed forces are receiving combat lasers, Vladimir Putin announced. Deliveries began in 2017. The head of state did not disclose other details about the beam guns. He only specified that the appearance laser weapons in the army will significantly expand Russia's capabilities while ensuring its own security.
An underwater drone will replace eyes, arms and legs where a person is in real danger or inability to reach the target. The device is designed for horizontal and vertical swimming in order to view hard-to-reach areas under water. Whether military technology inspired the developers of the first hydro-robots or electronic toys is now difficult to determine. The device has found application not only among advanced fishermen and hunters for underwater beauties. The new invention is increasingly used by rescue services and underwater reconnaissance. Underwater treasure hunters quietly and imperceptibly adjoin them. In today's review, we will consider the TOP 3 best underwater drones of 2017.
Underwater drone PowerRay
PowerVision continues to innovate in self-driving cameras. Having exhausted the theme of the "flying egg", the inventors decided to conquer the water element. The result was the PowerRay underwater drone.
- Appearance and equipment. Before you buy an electronic "tortoise" from PowerVision, decide which of the three options suits you best. All three models have on board excellent optics (ZEISS) and a video camera that records in 4K format. To date, this ultra-high definition video standard provides the best picture. The PowerRay Explorer drone (“explorer”, base model) is equipped with a 50-meter cable connecting it to the base station float. PowerRay Angler ("angler", mid-level model) is much smarter than "explorer". The Angler has a firefly on board to attract fish. The PowerRay Wizard model ("magician", the most expensive and advanced model) is really capable of working miracles, showing undersea world in real time. Each of the drones weighs approximately 3.8 kg and measures 465x270x126mm. The weight of the base station does not exceed 0.2 kg. The PowerRay also includes a remote control, sonar, camera and Charger. Drone control technology is not yet advanced enough to leave it without a leash. The cable does not let it go astray caused by strong currents, passes the power supply and the video signal.
- Functionality. Let's start with the PowerRay underwater drone itself. It is capable of diving to a depth of 30 m. The lifting speed is 0.4 m/s, and maximum speed displacement in the water column - 2 m/s. By the way, the battery life (1-2 hours) depends on the speed. The drone's photo and video camera uses a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor with a sensitivity range of ISO 100-1600. It can take pictures (maximum picture resolution is 12 megapixels, 4000x3000) and record video in 4K and Full HD, in MP4 and MOV formats. Continuous shooting is done at a speed of 5 frames / s. The choice of shooting modes, formats and resolutions is carried out through a remote control that resembles a smartphone. Here we enjoy the picture in real time. The built-in memory of the camera is 64 gigabytes. The base station is equipped with Wi-Fi operating in the range of 30 m. The sonar (fish finder) operates at a frequency of 125 kHz, with a sounding angle of 30 °, and a depth of 0.6–40 m. The range of its connection with Wi-Fi exceeds 80 meters. The sonar is equipped with 6 LED flashlights. In general, it can be launched into independent swimming by disconnecting it from the drone, but not from the umbilical cord of the cable. Use it to measure water temperature, depth and the level of anxiety of the fish (there is such an indicator). The measurement results will be displayed on the remote control screen (if you enable this mode). The operating temperature of the device ranges from -20 to 65 degrees.
- Additional Information. The Powerray underwater drone is an improved version of the OpenROV Trident, which was promoted on the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform. Crowdfunding or public funding provides the strongest support for almost all underwater drone projects. It is also worth noting the presence of a battery with a capacity of 6400 mAh.
The price of PowerRay in Russia is from €1,599 to €2,099 depending on the model. The video review is presented below:
iBubble underwater drone
This cute device will obediently accompany the owner while diving and walking along the bottom. It's simply impossible to lose sight of its bright yellow body and transparent bubble protecting the camcorder. It is the "bulb" that is hallmark iBubble drone and explains the name.
- Appearance and equipment. The unit has a streamlined shape, reminiscent of a turtle, a flounder fish and a stingray at the same time. As you know, these little animals move perfectly under water. The GoPro Hero 3 (4) camera is hermetically sealed with a transparent hemisphere made of durable plastic. The camera has a backlight of two LED lights, 1000 lumens each. The American company GoPro specializes in the production of high-quality action cameras designed for active sports and recreation. The remote control for this model is a wristband. This once again indicates that the drone was created primarily for divers. Here you can select video or photo mode, control the movement of the drone and monitor the sensors. The 100-meter cable will come in handy when you launch the drone on its own while staying on the shore. In this case, the iBubble underwater drone will be controlled using joysticks. The dimensions of the device are 50x35x25 cm, and the weight is about 5 kg.
- Functionality underwater drone iBubble. The camera label tells us that either a GoPro Hero 3 or GoPro Hero 4 can be mounted on the drone. Let's see what a later model can give us, although it is no longer the latest today. The camera is capable of shooting ultra-high definition video. The frame rate depends on the resolution selected by the user. The main innovation of this camera is video recording of 3840x2160 pixels at 30 fps. Full HD and HD modes are possible at 120 fps. For extreme sportsmen special mode, which allows you to get a clear picture at 240 fps. HERO 4 also offers the Extended Capture feature, which allows you to cover the maximum area to create a frame. Another special mode is provided for low light conditions. Wireless transmission modules built into the camera WiFi data and bluetooth. Get beautiful pictures and videos on Android, Windows phone or iOS. By turning on the tracking mode, you will force the camera to automatically follow the animal of your choice and keep it in the field of view. The camera has fixed swivel positions, both vertically and horizontally. The transparent hemisphere of the "spacesuit" allows you to view fairly large spaces. When photographing, stabilization works, so your pictures will always be clear. The iBubble drone is capable of diving to a depth of 60 meters and operates completely autonomously, gracefully bypassing obstacles. You can control the device remotely at a distance of 25 meters. Cruise speed reaches 3.6 km/h. The lithium-ion battery lasts for an hour, but if you're an amphibious person and prefer to dive for hours, change the batteries almost on the go. The device automatically pops up when the charge ends.
- Additional Information. The iBubble underwater drone is designed primarily for diving enthusiasts and divers. He is an extension of your senses where and where you cannot or do not want to swim. For example, a luxurious octopus lurks around the corner of a cliff. It is unlikely that he will wait until you get close to him to capture him. The iBubble drone will do this quietly and imperceptibly, without disturbing the peace and natural state of the animal. Tests carried out show that sea creatures do not pay attention to the yellow silent "fish", mistaking it for one of their own.
Underwater drone Gladius Ultra HD 4K
China is rapidly catching up with Japan and Korea in the development of new technologies, trying to occupy underdeveloped niches. It is no coincidence that Gladius Ultra HD 4K drone was in the TOP-3 of the best underwater drones of 2017. The Chinese managed to embody the best achievements in it modern science and technology, without renouncing direct plagiarism.
- Appearance and equipment. This sleek, streamlined underwater life watcher weighs around 3kg. The design of the underwater drone Gladius Ultra HD 4K resembles iBubble - the same side cylinders for horizontal engines and a transparent case that protects the "electronic eye". Its body is made of lightweight aluminum alloy, which moves with the help of four electric motors (or propellers, as they are called). Two of them are designed for diving and ascent, and the other two are for horizontal movement. Having the same configuration, Gladius is represented by two models - standard and advanced. In the standard model, the Wi-Fi range between the buoy and the control panel is 30 meters. The cable connecting the buoy and the drone is unwound at the same distance. The same indicators in the advanced model reach values of 500 m and 100 m, respectively. Both versions are equipped with two 1200 lumen LED fireflies, an SD card slot and two lithium polymer batteries. The dimensions of the drone in millimeters are: 430x270x94.
- Capabilities of underwater drone Gladius Ultra HD 4K. The control function is performed by a joystick attached to a smartphone (not included). On the screen of your gadget, you control the movement of the drone using a special application for iOS or Android. The transmission of signals and information from the camera is carried out partially wirelessly (Wi-Fi between the base station and the joystick), and between the base station and the drone - via cable. From the marking it is clear that the Gladius Ultra HD 4K has an ultra-sensitive camera capable of shooting in HD (1080 pixels) and 4K video standard. Online monitoring is possible thanks to 720p video stream. Naturally, the camera has a photo function (16 megapixels). Send beautiful pictures to your friends' smartphones and tablets. The submarine develops a speed of 2 m/s. The duration of the battery charge depends on the conditions of use, so the time of their joint work can vary from one and a half to 3-4 hours.
- Additional Information. Chasing Innovations, the creator of the Gladius Ultra HD 4K underwater drone, was founded by a former engineer at China's largest telecommunications brand, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. Underwater drones, like the vast majority of innovative ideas, are developed and produced on the basis of crowdfunding, that is, a public initiative. Gladius is one of the projects of the funding site Indiegogo. By making an advance payment, you thereby become a member of the Gladius Ultra HD 4K project. Accordingly, when buying a submarine robot, you will receive a significant discount at a price of 599 USD.
The price of the underwater drone Gladius Ultra HD 4K in Russia is 1,399 USD, and the advanced configuration is 1,699 USD. More about the device in the video below:
The activities of startups are closely monitored by military experts. Russian military-industrial complex is already developing an underwater robotic autonomous uninhabited glider capable of detecting and spying on submarines. However, a military glider is unlikely to interest ordinary citizens. The market for underwater drones is being actively explored by the electronic toy industry. It is quite possible that soon the toy robot submariner will be no different from the "adult" counterpart. Developers are looking for new solutions and, quite possibly, in the near future we will have a breakthrough into the world of new, incredible opportunities.
Today, drones that take to the air and conduct aerial photography have already become familiar, but until recently, such remote-controlled devices practically did not look under water. But with the advent of a new gadget, the situation will change - now you can see what is happening in the underwater world.
A group of American inventors presented a project for a budget drone for underwater video filming. The result of two years of work was called Seawolf. From most of its predecessors, the device is characterized by low price, ease of maintenance and management. The undoubted advantage of the gadget is the ability to use it with a GoPro action camera.
Installed camera gopro behind a transparent acrylic shield in the nose of the underwater drone. The mounting turret allows you to rotate the camera up to 90 degrees. The drone itself can dive to a depth of 10 meters. The actual immersion is 30 meters, however, in this case, communication with the device may be lost.
Under water, the drone moves at a speed of about 1.6 knots, which is comparable to a speed of 3.3 km/h. The device is powered by a 5000 mAh lithium-ion battery, which provides up to 50 minutes of battery life. The robot is equipped with several lights to illuminate the underwater space.
The underwater drone is controlled by a remote control with an LCD display. It is also possible to connect the underwater device to a cable that will follow it underwater. This allows you to significantly extend its service life, as well as increase the level of security in case of loss of control or communication. The cost of Seawolf is 1000 USD.
IN Lately Unmanned drones are used more and more often and in various fields. You can find out how in one of our previous reviews.