HyDRA Scorpion: A Cost-effective and Modular ROV for Real-Time Underwater Inspection, Intervention, and Object Detection

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2605.09093v1
• Date: Sat, 09 May 2026 17:58:58 GMT
• Title: HyDRA Scorpion: A Cost-effective and Modular ROV for Real-Time Underwater Inspection, Intervention, and Object Detection
• Abstract summary: HyDRA Scorpion is a tethered underwater robot that can be used for inspection and intervention.<n>The onboard AI module achieved underwater object detection mean Average Precision (mAP) of 0.89 with real-time inference, length and 3D-mapping based distance measurement.<n>The system combines 4-DoF maneuverability, dual manipulators, and a custom pressure-tested housing.
• Score: 1.2417253140611488
• License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Abstract: A Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) is a tethered underwater robot used for tasks like inspection and intervention. While essential tools for underwater science, the high cost of commercial ROVs and a persistent gap between mechanically capable platforms and those with integrated intelligence create a significant barrier to access. HyDRA Scorpion differs from conventional systems by addressing these challenges, integrating an advanced, AI-driven perception stack with in-situ measurement capabilities onto a low-cost, locally manufacturable platform. The system combines 4-DoF maneuverability, dual manipulators, and a custom pressure-tested housing. Experimental results validate the system's robustness and performance. Leak-free operation was confirmed through prolonged pressure testing of the electronics housing to 4 bar, equivalent to the pressure of a 304.8-meter water depth approximately in a simulated environment, with no moisture ingress detected. The vehicle also demonstrated stable station-keeping, maintaining its position within a tight tolerance of $\(\pm\)0.15$ meters under external disturbances. The onboard AI module achieved underwater object detection mean Average Precision (mAP) of 0.89 with real-time inference, length and 3D-mapping based distance measurement. Also, 4-DoF manipulator arm can grip and maintain dual-function manipulator feature which support 360 degree tangle-free rotation.

Related papers

• Design and Attitude Control of an Underwater Quadruped Robot [12.2300314007703]
  Legged robots are versatile on land, but their use in underwater environments remains limited.<n>This paper presents the design, modeling, and experimental validation of a reproducible underwater quadruped robot.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2026-09-06T17:19:31Z)
• An Adaptive Control Architecture for Slope and Terrain Compensation in Autonomous Navigation in Mediterranean Greenhouses [38.96391848836269]
  This article presents a novel terrain-adaptation strategy based on the carried payload, ensuring accurate and robust trajectory tracking.<n>The proposed approach is based on: (i) the experimental characterization of the most common types of greenhouse soil, concrete, compacted sand, and gravel, and (ii) the direct measurement of terrain slope using the IMU.<n>Based on this information, a cascade trajectory-tracking scheme has been designed, consisting of a model-based predictive controller (MPC) in the outer loop and a PI controller in the inner loop.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2026-09-02T11:55:47Z)
• U-Joint CAAMS: Experimental Evaluation of a Universal-Joint Continuum Manipulator for Aerial Manipulation [36.94429692322632]
  The proposed design uses a tubular backbone with spring-reinforced universal joints and an integrated conduit for internal routing and fluid delivery.<n>Under peak downwash, the proposed design reduces mean error by 2.5-4x in yaw, 2-45x in y-axis, and up to 5x in roll compared to the NiTi-backbone design.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2026-07-03T13:38:40Z)
• Design of a Bio-Inspired Miniature Submarine for Low-Cost Water Quality Monitoring [2.0686678425459424]
  This paper presents the design and experimental validation of a bio-inspired miniature submarine for low-cost water quality monitoring.<n>Inspired by the jet propulsion mechanism of squids, the proposed system employs pump-driven water jets for propulsion and steering.<n>The complete system can be constructed at a hardware cost of approximately $122.5, making it suitable for educational and environmental monitoring applications.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2026-03-15T06:37:45Z)
• Safe Whole-Body Loco-Manipulation via Combined Model and Learning-based Control [46.47619556874003]
  We propose a whole-body controller that combines a model-based admittance control for the manipulator arm with a Reinforcement Learning policy for legged locomotion.<n>The admittance controller maps external wrenches--such as those applied by a human during physical interaction--into desired end-effector velocities, allowing for compliant behavior.<n>We validate our approach in both simulation and hardware using the Unitree Go2 quadruped robot with a 6-DoF arm and wrist-mounted 6-DoF Force/Torque sensor.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2026-03-02T22:31:12Z)
• A Robotic Testing Platform for Pipelined Discovery of Resilient Soft Actuators [63.07587517846448]
  We propose an optimization pipeline enabled by a novel testing robot capable of scanning DEA lifetime.<n>The robot integrates electro-mechanical property measurement, programmable voltage input, and multi-channel testing capacity.<n>Using it, we scanned the lifetime of Elastosil-based linear actuators across parameters including input voltage magnitude, frequency, electrode material concentration, and electrical connection filler.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2026-02-24T14:41:28Z)
• Low-Cost Underwater In-Pipe Centering and Inspection Using a Minimal-Sensing Robot [1.9336815376402718]
  This paper presents a minimal-sensing strategy that enables a free-swimming underwater robot to center itself and traverse a flooded pipe of known radius using only an IMU, a pressure sensor, and two sonars.<n>We introduce a computationally efficient method for extracting range estimates from single-beam sonar intensity data, enabling reliable wall detection in noisy and reverberant conditions.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2026-02-05T03:45:55Z)
• Towards reliable subsea object recovery: a simulation study of an auv with a suction-actuated end effector [1.1984905847118061]
  This paper presents a simulation-based study of a complete autonomous subsea object recovery mission using a Hadal Small Vehicle (HSV)<n>The Stonefish simulator is used to model realistic vehicle dynamics, hydrodynamic disturbances, sensing, and interaction with a target object under hadal-like conditions.<n>The HSV autonomously descends from the sea surface to 6,000 m, performs structured seafloor coverage, detects a target object, and executes a suction-based recovery.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2026-01-03T07:55:23Z)
• An Open Toolkit for Underwater Field Robotics [2.790023439255412]
  We introduce an open, cost-effective hardware and software toolkit for underwater manipulation research.<n>The toolkit includes a depth-rated Underwater Robotic Joint with early leakage detection, compact control and power management electronics, and a ROS2-based software stack for sensing and multi-mode actuation.<n>All CAD models, fabrication files, PCB sources, firmware, and ROS2 packages are openly released, enabling local manufacturing, modification, and community-driven improvement.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2025-12-17T17:06:35Z)
• Autonomous Navigation of Cloud-Controlled Quadcopters in Confined Spaces Using Multi-Modal Perception and LLM-Driven High Semantic Reasoning [0.0]
  This paper introduces an advanced AI-driven perception system for autonomous navigation in GPS-denied indoor environments.<n>System integrates YOLOv11 for object detection, Depth Anything V2 for monocular depth estimation, a PCB equipped with Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensors and an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)<n> Experimental results in an indoor testbed demonstrate strong performance, with object detection achieving a mean Average Precision (mAP50) of 0.6, depth estimation Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 7.2 cm, and end-to-end system latency below 1 second.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2025-08-11T12:00:03Z)
• MetAdv: A Unified and Interactive Adversarial Testing Platform for Autonomous Driving [85.04826012938642]
  MetAdv is a novel adversarial testing platform that enables realistic, dynamic, and interactive evaluation.<n>It supports flexible 3D vehicle modeling and seamless transitions between simulated and physical environments.<n>It enables real-time capture of physiological signals and behavioral feedback from drivers.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2025-08-04T03:07:54Z)
• Towards an Autonomous Surface Vehicle Prototype for Artificial Intelligence Applications of Water Quality Monitoring [68.41400824104953]
  This paper presents a vehicle prototype that addresses the use of Artificial Intelligence algorithms and enhanced sensing techniques for water quality monitoring. The vehicle is fully equipped with high-quality sensors to measure water quality parameters and water depth. By means of a stereo-camera, it also can detect and locate macro-plastics in real environments.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2024-10-08T10:35:32Z)
• Efficient Real-time Smoke Filtration with 3D LiDAR for Search and Rescue with Autonomous Heterogeneous Robotic Systems [56.838297900091426]
  Smoke and dust affect the performance of any mobile robotic platform due to their reliance on onboard perception systems. This paper proposes a novel modular computation filtration pipeline based on intensity and spatial information.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2023-08-14T16:48:57Z)

This list is automatically generated from the titles and abstracts of the papers in this site.

This site does not guarantee the quality of this site (including all information) and is not responsible for any consequences.