Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV)

ROV is the common accepted name for tethered underwater robots in the offshore industry.

ROVs are unoccupied, highly maneuverable and operated by a person. They are linked to the control station by a tether (sometimes referred to as an umbilical cable), a group of cables that carry electrical power, video and data signals back and forth between the operator and the vehicle. High power applications will often use hydraulics in addition to electrical cabling. Most ROVs are equipped with at least a video camera and lights to do underwater discovery.

These may include a magnetometer, camera, water samplers, and instruments that measure water clarity, light penetration and temperature.