VideoRay ROV Conference

VIPS 2009 - Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club - October 26-29, 2009

SEARCH AND RECOVERY - INVESTIGATION - LAW ENFORCEMENT

Remote Search and Investigation Techniques as Part of an Integrated Strategy
Jeff Snyder - President, SeaVision Underwater Solutions, Inc.

Monday, October, 26 - 10:00AM - 10:45AM

Separate remote underwater technologies can be applied and integrated into a cohesive strategy for an underwater investigation. As a case study, we will look at abandoned, sunken automobiles in the waters of the Seekonk River (RI). We will describe our use of sidescan sonar, advance to the use of multibeam bathymetric sonar, and finish with the deployment of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to investigate the target. Our emphasis will be the demonstration of a simple but effective work flow that can culminate in the deployment of divers to perform actual intervention or detailed inspection.

Discovering Underwater Smuggling Attempts In Jamaica
Kirk Diaz & Oneil Walters - Security Administrators Limited

Monday, October, 26 - 10:00AM - 10:45AM

One of the world’s most experienced – and effective – ROV teams for Maritime Security works every day in the extremely busy container port in Kingston, Jamaica. Since 2002 they have examined over 1000 vessels, and have discovered drugs on 14 of them. The use of VideoRay allows thorough searches of vessels to occur rapidly, safely, and cost effectively. This presentation will show how the ROV team has evolved, and the techniques used both by smugglers to conceal drug canisters, and the ROV team to find them. The presenters will use of both video and still photos to illustrate their procedures so the audience can learn how to they can begin to conduct these searches in their home ports, and help combat illegal drug smuggling. They will emphasize how these procedures can be implemented in a way that meshes with other port security procedures without unduly effecting port efficiency.

Micro ROV's - Not Just a Flying Eyeball, but an Intervention and Recovery Tool
Craig Thorngren - President, Submerged Recovery and Inspection Services

Monday, October, 26 - 11:15AM - 12:00PM

Craig Thorngren retired from the US Coast Guard as a Chief Petty Officer, after 20 years of service. For several years, he was in charge of the Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle Team at the first MSST (91101) in Seattle Washington. After a brief stint with BlueView Technologies, Craig has formed his own underwater consulting and operations company, Submerged Recovery and Inspection Services.

This presentation will discuss the techniques and outcomes of variety of missions that involved recovering lost items, including a Shotgun Recovery, retrieving ancient shark’s teeth, a Cerebus Sonar Shackle Recovery in Australia, and other interesting projects from the files of Submerged Recovery and Inspection Services.

Megalodon Tooth Recovery
Jim Batey - Marine Transport & Survey, Wilmington, NC

Tuesday, October, 27 - 10:00AM - 10:45AM

The mighty Megalodon, the largest carnivorous shark to ever prowl the seas, was over 60 feet in length. This precursor to the modern Great White shark lived in the Miocene epoch 5 to 24 million years ago. Some of the larger teeth fetch prices to $5000 and more! This presentation will show how Megalodon teeth can be recovered in the Atlantic with a VideoRay. Jim will review the process or investigating different ROVs, developing special techniques, and the tools that have proven invaluable in this process.

Lessons Learned - Diving Below 100 ft. with a VideoRay Scout
Mark Walker - Knoxville Volunteer Emergency Rescue Squad

Tuesday, October, 27 - 11:15AM - 12:00PM

The Knoxville Volunteer Emergency Rescue Squad (KVERS), Inc. is responsible for the primary rescue services to the citizens of Knox County, Tennessee. The Water Rescue Specialty Team provides a nucleus of highly-trained personnel to mitigate situations involving water related search, rescue and recovery without risking life or injury. The presentation will show how KVERS has used their inexpensive VideoRay to recover drowning victims in depths that most would not think possible, with a case study to illustrate how this can be done.

What to Do When Everything Goes Wrong
Tom Crossmon - Crossmon Consulting

Wednesday, October, 28 - 10:00AM - 10:45AM

There are far more aspects of a mission – particularly one to find a lost object or missing person – that can go wrong than can go right. Many of the presentations at VIPS talk about preventing things from going wrong with proper preparation and planning. This session will look at what to do when everything goes wrong. How do you fix things out of your control, and save the mission? How can you be prepared for the worse possible scenario and make it work for you, or when should you abort the mission and try another day. The author has extensive experience with things going wrong, and experience you can learn from.

WHY VIDEORAY?

AFFORDABILITY

The VideoRay Scout starts at $5,995 (in the US) a cost quickly justified when compared to commercial dive missions or funding the purchase, mobilization, staffing, and operation of larger ROVs.

PORTABILITY

One person can transport the tiny 8-pound sub, control box and tether. The Scout system weighs less than 70 pounds and packs neatly in one rolling Pelican case. All other systems fit in two Pelican cases that can be transported in a car trunk or helicopter, or checked as airline baggage.

USABILITY

Driving the VideoRay is similar to operating a video game. A specially trained ROV pilot is not needed. (In fact, kids raised on video games routinely put adults to shame piloting VideoRay.). VideoRay is equally at home with a search and rescue team as it is with a yacht owner enjoying live views of a coral reef in St. Thomas. Additional controls on advanced models include front camera focus and tilt, rear camera selection and automatic depth holding (see the product detail pages for complete lists of features and capabilities of each model).

SAFETY

Since VideoRay uses less than 500 watts of power, a car or marine battery with inverter, small gasoline generator, or any 100-240 VAC outlet powers the control box and submersible. The current running through the tether to the submersible is a comparatively safe 48 VDC, rather than the possibly lethal 360-plus VDC used by other ROVs. This makes it safe for divers to handle the submersible in the water, and for kids to swim with it in a pool.

REACH

Standard tether lengths vary by model, but additional neutral, negative, and positively buoyant tethers can be added to extend the overall reach of the VideoRay up to 1,100 feet. Tethers are available in a variety of lengths to meet the needs of particular water conditions or projects.

THE VALUE IN VIDEORAY PRODUCTS

Durability

VideoRay's design has been perfected over years of extensive field experience. VideoRays have been deployed all over the world - from the warm, clear, calm waters of the Caribbean to hostile environments in the Arctic. VideoRays have been used in water too polluted for humans and in many places too confined or dangerous for divers to enter.

Materials and construction

Tough materials -- acrylic domes, anodized aluminum, stainless steel, and Kevlar - used in the VideoRay ensure it will withstand repeated and extended use. The careful assembly, quality controls, and pressure testing in our assembly plants ensure that each unit will continue to provide service for years.

Research and development

Our ongoing R&D, extensive spare parts supplies, and trained technicians ensure that our customers stay productive with VideoRay technology for years to come.

Warranty

Every VideoRay comes with a one-year, bumper-to-bumper warranty. This covers any failure due to defects in materials and workmanship, so long as maintenance described in the manual is performed. VideoRay also offers a support program called Advantage!. This meets the needs of our many customers who need a plan where they can count on absolute minimal downtime, a known cost for all repairs and maintenance, and an assurance of the latest technology at all times. Please click here to learn pricing and details about Advantage! .

Quality cameras

All VideoRays come equipped with a color camera. The Scouts use a fixed 420 line, 0.3 lux color camera, accompanied by two 20-watt adjustable halogen lights. The Explorers, Pro and Deep Blue Series come with high resolution 570 line, 0.1 lux color cameras, which can be tilted 160 degrees. The Pro and Deep Blue models also include rear-facing black and white cameras with 430 lines, 0.1 lux and a high-powered LED array for illumination.

Sensors

All models, except the Scout Series, include compass, depth sensor and auto depth holding capability. Pro and Deep Blue models can be augmented with a wide assortment of accessories, including grippers, positioning systems, scanning sonar and other sensors. The Deep Blue includes the SeaSprite Scanning Sonar. Computer control and instrumentation are available, along with many customizations to meet the needs of diverse underwater professions.

Depth

Scouts and Explorers are depth rated to 76 m (250 ft). The Pro models are depth rated to 152 m (500 ft), and the Deep Blue 305 m (1000 ft).

Weight

The submersible units all weigh less than 4 kilograms (9 pounds) out of the water, and each can be easily deployed by a single person by simply hanging it from its tether and lowering it in the water. The total system weight ranges from 32 kilos (70 pounds) for the Scout to 81 kilos (180 pounds) for the Deep Blue.