18-Sep-2018: India's first commercial underwater drone

Kochi-based start-up IROV Technologies Pvt Ltd (EyeROV) is launching commercial underwater drones by handing over the first vehicle to Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), a laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The company, backed by Kerala Start-Up Mission, oil and gas firm BPCL and the Department of Science and Technology, claims the product is the first indigenously-developed commercial underwater drone in the country.

The EyeROV TUNA is a smart micro-ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) or underwater drone, at par with global standards, and with operational capabilities in harsh and mission-critical underwater environment. EyeROV is designed to perform visual inspection and surveys of submerged structures as a cost-effective underwater rover that works up to a depth of 100 metres. It can be e-controlled using a laptop or a joystick. A camera fitted on to the underwater drone, gives a live video feed of the submarine environment. The product is equipped to perform a variety of functions, including inspection of ship hulls, fish farms, dams, port structure and bridge foundations.

The company is bidding for various defence projects and has received its first order from NPOL, where the drone is expected to help the Laboratory in research operations. The first drone is being handed over to the NPOL. The product is also useful in various underwater research operations and is expected to be sold to research institutes in this field.