Underwater robot with needle and thread

Underwater operations in aquaculture cages with a diameter of 157 metres are time consuming and dangerous work. Now researchers from SINTEF are developing an underwater robot that can perform systematic and effective cleaning and inspection and that will also be able to repair damage to the nets and prevent escapes.

Underwater robots, or ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles) are already in use in the aquaculture industry for cleaning and inspection of nets, but they are not customized for aquaculture operations. Today, the tasks that can be undertaken by an ROV are limited. The new ROV is still on the drawing board, but during the project, a demonstrator will be tested in full-scale in a cage at Lerøy Hydrotech’s localities.