In water conservancy projects, underwater robots are essential

The safety inspection of water conservancy engineering structures can be divided into the above-water structure and underwater structure inspection according to the location. Among them, the above-water structure inspection can use conventional techniques, such as visual inspection methods such as seeing, hearing, touching, and stepping, and conventional measures such as rulers and drilling. Geophysical detection, ground-penetrating radar, high-density electrical method, seismic method, and other geophysical methods are used for comprehensive detection.

At present, the main methods of underwater structure inspection of hydraulic engineering include visual inspection, underwater vehicle inspection (ROV inspection), laser scanning, fan-scan sonar imaging, etc.

Visual inspection refers to the method in which divers dive into the water and use hand touch, footstep, eyesight, and underwater photography to detect underwater structures. This method has low technical requirements and is currently widely used, but divers have certain personal safety. Risks, and need to have high business quality;

ROV detection uses robot technology as the carrier, combines underwater image technology, underwater sonar, and positioning technology, and has the advantages of flexible operation and clear and intuitive images;

Laser scanning refers to the use of a laser to perform three-dimensional scanning of underwater structures, and the imaging is fast, but there is a shortcoming of poor imaging quality due to serious laser scattering in water;

Fan-scan sonar imaging can be divided into single-beam, multi-beam, and three-dimensional imaging methods according to the scanning method, among which multi-beam has the characteristics of high efficiency and high resolution.

The underwater robot system consists of a frame, horizontal and vertical thruster system, underwater electronic warehouse, color camera, lighting, and so on.

Its maximum pressure-resistant depth is 150m, which can be customized to 300m, which can cover the detection of most underwater structures in water conservancy projects, and has two-axis (horizontal, vertical) high resistance to the current movement. Its key technologies include underwater robot control, navigation, image data communication, etc. The system is currently mainly used in underwater detection, maintenance, and salvage in the fields of water conservancy, ocean, and archaeology.

The underwater robot has the characteristics of efficient and intuitive detection, and can quickly go to the designated location for detection according to the established instructions, with high work efficiency.