Aquabotix granted patent for underwater camera

UUV Aquabotix Ltd. has been granted a United States patent for a “Remotely Operated Vehicle Camera Apparatus.”

Many underwater vehicles operate with a single stationary camera, an interior-based moveable camera or multiple cameras. Each of these configurations may have significant drawbacks and ultimately limit their functionality and usefulness, the company said.

For example, a forward-facing camera can be used for navigation but is limited if the operator would like to record information around the vehicle in a reconnaissance mission.

To address this challenge, Aquabotix developed a fully rotatable camera apparatus for attachment to its own or other vehicles. The camera apparatus can be mounted to the side of a vehicle and configured to rotate, enabling an operator to have a completely unobstructed 360-degree view in an underwater environment. This connector can also be used for mounting rotatable underwater light sources.

Based in Sydney, Australia, and Fall River, Massachusetts, Aquabotix is an underwater robotics company that manufactures and sells commercial and industrial-grade underwater drones for commercial, high-end consumer and military applications. It also offers commercially available swarming underwater drones.