Low cost high precision motion control for ROV

The problem of low-cost high precision motion control of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) in the proximity of the seabed through vision-based motion estimation is addressed in this chapter. The proposed approach consists in the integration of a monocular vision system for the estimate of the vehicle's linear motion with a dual-loop hierarchical architecture for kinematics and dynamics control. Results obtained by operating at sea the Romeo ROV are presented, pointing out the role played by the mechanical design of the actuation and illumination systems, and by accurate modelling and identification of system dynamics, in achieving satisfactorily performance in operating conditions.