RC Submarine for underwater photography?

June 6, 2008 9:43 PM

RC Submarine for underwater photography?

Does such a thing exist? I havent been able to find one on google. The other day I thought I might be able to get some interesting photography if I could send out an RC sub in a clear-ish local pond. From what Ive read most RC subs are not rated for pond use and have extremely limited range and diving depth.

Is there a "pro" level RC kit out there that can handle a camera or even video? I am willing to work with the limits of the sub, be it range, time, a tether, etc.

Thanks.

posted by damn dirty ape to sports, hobbies, & recreation (3 comments total)

The VHF radio bands used in most RC control hardware have notoriously poor penetration of water. They rarely propagate even 3 or 4 feet into water, which is probably the main problem you'll have in locating an RC controlled submersible. So, the term ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) is probably a more fruitful search term. Here's an online and IRL group specializing in ROV submersibles.
posted by paulsc at 10:06 PM on June 6, 2008

I looked into RC subs as a potential hobby once. I didn't notice (because I wasn't looking) any off-the-shelf ready-to-launch subs designed for photography, but there are a lot of solutions and info on underwater photo and video if you're interested in assembling a submarine more along the lines of an RC enthusiast, rather than as a cameraman looking for an enclosure.

Regarding paulsc's point, what some people do in order to benefit from inexpensive video transmitters and standard RC gear that don't work very well through water, is have a small antenna on a little fishing-line float/bouy, which stays at the surface, trailing behind the sub, towed by a thin wire down to the sub.

You also have an emergency can of compressed air on a timer, so if you lose the sub underwater, the timer doesn't get reset, the can inflates a bladder, and it resurfaces.
posted by -harlequin- at 11:21 PM on June 6, 2008

You might find this page interesting. "How to Build Your Own Underwater ROV"
posted by Tenuki at 1:54 AM on June 7, 2008