Video

Video by Desiree Kapler, Timothy Reeves

Underwater ROV

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center

June 26, 2025 | 5:13

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, or USACE, manages hundreds of locks and dams, which are critical components of a complex navigation system that is central to our nation’s economy and security.
Inspecting this aging aquatic infrastructure often requires costly and dangerous processes, such as deploying divers or dewatering structures, which shuts down the flow of goods and materials.
To help USACE districts perform these inspections in a safer and more cost-effective manner, and with higher quality, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) has been testing the use of an underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV).
By conducting research into how to best use this off-the-shelf technology for underwater inspections, the ERDC is testing, validating and developing systematic and best practices.
This insight will help USACE know what works, what doesn’t and will enable them to fully capitalize on the transformative potential of ROVs for underwater inspections.
Watch this video to learn more.

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