Eca Group Launches The R7 Rov - A Perfect Balance Of Power And Portability

Oceanology International

11 Feb 2022

The R7, the latest addition to ECA GROUP's family of ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles), combines the compactness and ease of deployment of mini-ROVs with the performance, speed and payload carrying capacity of professional observation-class ROVs.

Fast, modular and easy to deploy, the R7 is designed for oceanographers, hydrographers, fish farmers and operators of submerged structures for all their underwater missions up to a depth of 300 m, including inspection, observation, surveillance, maintenance and object recovery. The R7 incorporates the expertise accumulated by ECA GROUP over more than 40 years as a supplier of autonomous underwater vehicles for civilian and military applications.

A 100% digital and connected ROV

The R7 incorporates the latest developments in digital technology for some of the highest quality images on the market, thanks to a full HD video chain going from the camera sensors to the display screens.

To facilitate navigation even in difficult visibility conditions, the R7's navigation camera is equipped with a very high sensitivity wide-angle video sensor. This camera is combined with high performance LED lighting to provide an exceptional level of rendering. The FHD observation camera with 4x optical zoom and vertical rotation movement ensures that the R7 offers optimum comfort during inspection.

The plug-and-play connection of payloads is facilitated by the 100% digital architecture, giving the R7 its scalable character.

Great ease of use

The R7 also stands out in terms of ergonomics: its highly intuitive Human Machine Interface and ease of use outperform previous generation ROVs.

The 15" touch screen of the control unit and a second screen enabling the display of several data sources simultaneously (cameras/sonars...) give the operator a high level of visual comfort. A USBL beacon and/or DVL are also available, enabling them to accurately track the ROV's position in real time.

R7 combines power, stability and serviceability

The R7 can also be equipped with a manipulator arm with up to five functions, making it extremely manoeuvrable. It can easily handle or recover objects up to 2kg.

The R7's manoeuvrability and power make the operator's job easier, even in harsh environments. The four horizontal vectored thrusters give the ROV exceptional dexterity in flight mode. The latest generation inertial measurement unit (IMU) coupled with the three vertical thrusters manages the attitude and provides the ROV with high horizontal stability in all directions.

The R7 can be maintained by a non-expert, who will have quick access to the sub-assemblies. These can be exchanged very quickly and easily, even during the mission.

ECA GROUP will unveil the R7 at the Ocean Business exhibition, which takes place from 12 to 14 October in Southampton, UK.