HANDBOOK FOR ROVForeword Over the last 20 years or so, ROV Pilots and Technicians have had to master more and more trades and skills. In these days of small operations teams, working with ever more complex systems, usually far from home and ‘the beach’, they are expected to keep all of their equipment at 100% availability as well as use their special skills in navigating their vehicles safely and surely around all the hazards of the sea. . All ROV businesses have been built upon the professionalism of their Pilots and Technicians. As new successful operations generate new skills, this in turn prompts advances in vehicle technology, and this continuous cycle of change makes the life demanding and challenging. If there were any limits to the progress of ROV activities they would be, in the end, set by the people who actually know and drive them. In this refreshing handbook, the authors have skilfully brought together a great wealth of practical knowledge and experience of ROV operations, addressing all of the technical, operational and management disciplines in a clear and comprehensive manner, as well as including plenty of ‘hard to find’ technical reference data. No matter whether you are a shore-based manager. operations supervisor, syste designer, interested bystander or actually at the sharp end “hands on the sticks” should be kept close by. Noes anes— About Marcus Cardew Marcus Cardew spent 9 years at sea as a Navigator. He then spent 2 years working with manned submersibies then 8 years as technical and operations director of Sub Sea Surveys before moving to Slingsby Engineering as technical director. For the past 10 years he has been running his own business “System Technologies’ in Ulverston, designing and manufacturing a range of underwater and vehicle systems.About The Authors ath Chris Belt is a Chartered Engineer with Richard Warburton is specialist in twelve years experience as an ROV superintendent, ROY Electronics and Hydraulic systems He has been responsible for the development of the with extensive offshore experience. Presenily recognised ROV training schemes. . Mel Bayliss is a Member of the Institute of Non- destructive Testing with extensive experience in Jnspection diving in addition to ROV inspection. He teathes on CSWIP Phase 7 approved courses a all Is.