What does it do?

The underwater drone captures live video and sends it to the surface for visual inspection tasks such as search missions, infrastructure checks, and environmental monitoring.

For Fab Academy, it demonstrably operates with joystick control (and basic camera integration where possible) and structurally withstands sea‑level pressure up to roughly 10 m depth as a proof of concept.

Who’s done what beforehand?

Commercial and open‑source ROVs from companies like OpenROV and Blue Robotics already provide modular, tethered underwater drones with live‑streaming capability.

The mechanical form factor and concept of this drone are specifically inspired by the FIFISH V6 underwater ROV, while adapting the design to fit Fab Lab processes and a lower budget.

What did you design?

A pressure‑resistant waterproof hull, internal layout, and propulsion arrangement were designed to balance buoyancy, stability, and ease of sealing.

Dedicated housings for the camera and electronics were modeled so that the lens has a clear field of view while ESCs, controller, and battery stay protected from water ingress.

What sources did you use?

The project draws on prior art from OpenROV, Blue Robotics, and FIFISH V6 product information, plus online datasheets/tutorials for A2212 BLDC motors, ESCs, joystick control, and ESP32‑S3 programming.

Fab Academy weekly assignments (CAD, electronics design/production, embedded programming, networking, interfaces, and molding/casting) were used as technical references and testbeds for individual subsystems.

What materials and components were used?

Key electronics include the Seeed XIAO ESP32S3 board for motor control and communication, A2212 BLDC motors with corresponding ESCs, a tether cable, and a Li‑ion battery pack.

The structure consists mainly of 3D‑printed plastic parts for the main body and mounts, plus fasteners, epoxy, and sealing materials for waterproofing.

Where did they come from?

Electronic components and some mechanical items were sourced from online vendors such as Robu.in, Amazon, and specialized marine/ROV suppliers like Blue Robotics where feasible.

Filament and basic hardware (screws, seals, adhesives) were obtained through local vendors and Fab Lab inventory to keep costs and lead time under control.

How much did they cost?

A bill of materials (BOM) was prepared to estimate and track costs of the controller board, motors, ESCs, tether, battery, structural materials, and consumables.

The cost structure is dominated by propulsion and electronics; using non‑waterproof A2212 motors at this stage keeps the proof‑of‑concept significantly cheaper than commercial ROVs.

What parts and systems were made?

Custom 3D‑printed parts include the main hull sections, motor mounts and camera housing features.

A custom PCB is being developed and assembled to integrate the XIAO ESP32S3, power distribution, and signal connections to ESCs, joysticks, and tether interface.

What processes were used?

Fabrication relied on 3D printing for structural parts, PCB design and production for the control electronics, and hand soldering for component assembly.

What questions were answered?

Feasibility of joystick‑based control for multiple thrusters using the ESP32S3 and standard ESCs was validated on the bench.

The basic hull design and sealing concept were confirmed as printable and assemble‑able within Fab Lab constraints, showing that a low‑cost, student‑fabricated ROV body is practical.

What worked? What didn’t?

Motor control using the first joystick channel worked, demonstrating correct mapping from joystick input to BLDC speed via ESCs.

Robust waterproofing under extended submersion, and integrated live‑stream camera functionality were not yet fully completed within the current schedule.

How was it evaluated?

The system is evaluated on responsiveness and smoothness of joystick control tests.

What are the implications?

A successful prototype demonstrates that functional underwater inspection tools can be built at low cost using Fab Lab workflows, making such systems more accessible for education and local problem‑solving.

Future work can extend this platform with image processing for corrosion detection, better thrusters, and improved hydrodynamics, enabling targeted inspection of marine infrastructure and environmental monitoring in coastal regions.