ROV & AUV Systems: Cameras, Sonar, Power & Recording
Overview
Built Around Your Application
Remotely operated vehicles and autonomous underwater vehicles are the workhorses of modern subsea operations. Whether you're conducting pipeline inspections, supporting offshore construction, or executing scientific surveys, the performance of your ROV or AUV depends on the quality and integration of its subsystems. C.A. Richards brings together the leading manufacturers of cameras, sonar, lighting, power, and maneuvering systems — and helps you build a complete, coordinated solution from a single source.
Discuss Your ProjectCapabilities
- High-definition and low-light subsea cameras and imaging systems
- Forward-looking and multibeam sonar for navigation and inspection
- LED lighting and laser scaling systems for precise visual data
- Pan-and-tilt systems and camera positioning equipment
- Subsea batteries and intelligent power management systems
- Electric thrusters, motors, and propulsion components
- ROV umbilicals, tether cables, and subsea connectors
- Acoustic positioning and tracking systems
- Data recording, transmission, and topside display systems
- Leak detection and radiometric inspection tools
Applications
Where We Apply These Technologies
Pipeline & Structure Inspection
Visual and acoustic inspection of subsea pipelines, risers, manifolds, and structural components.
Offshore Construction Support
ROV support for installation, tie-in, and intervention operations on offshore energy projects.
Scientific & Survey Operations
AUV and ROV systems for oceanographic research, seabed mapping, and environmental monitoring.
Search & Recovery
Underwater search, object identification, and recovery operations in challenging environments.
Defense & Maritime Security
Mine countermeasures, hull inspection, and port security applications for defense operators.
Offshore Wind Support
Foundation inspection, cable monitoring, and installation support for offshore wind projects.
Technology Partners
Featured Manufacturers
View All
Sidus Solutions
Rugged HD and 4K subsea cameras, LED lighting, laser scalers, pan-and-tilt positioners, subsea communications, and explosion-proof topside CCTV — engineered for situational awareness in the harshest offshore and subsea environments.
Learn More
Copenhagen Subsea
High-performance, seawater-cooled, gearless subsea thrusters, the Gorilla heavy-duty work-class ROV, and the Maneuvering Subsea System — delivering exceptional continuous thrust with minimal noise, proven in ROV, AUV, and manned submersible applications worldwide.
Learn More
Kongsberg Discovery
Single beam sonars, multibeam sonar systems, subsea altimeters, and acoustic leak detection — delivering precision acoustic sensing for ROV navigation, inspection, and offshore energy applications.
Learn More
Verlume
World-leading subsea batteries and intelligent power management — Charge, Halo, and Orah seabed battery systems unified by Axonn, the only fully autonomous subsea power control and communications gateway on the market.
Learn More
Nexans
Purpose-built ROV umbilicals, tether cables, LV subsea power cables, fiber optic and hybrid cables — engineered for robustness and performance in the harshest subsea environments.
Learn More
Digital Edge Subsea
The EdgeDVR platform — industry-leading digital video recording and inspection systems for ROV, diving, and topside operations. Version 5 software with Lite, Standard, and Pro tiers. Over 900 systems deployed offshore worldwide.
Learn MoreCommon Engineering Questions
Answers to the technical questions we hear most often from engineers and project teams.
What type of sonar works in zero visibility underwater?
In turbid water or zero-visibility conditions where optical cameras are ineffective, imaging sonar is the standard solution. Forward-looking imaging sonar uses acoustic pulses to generate real-time images of the environment regardless of water clarity or lighting. Multibeam sonar provides high-resolution bathymetric data for seabed mapping and structural inspection. Sound Metrics DIDSON and ARIS imaging sonars and Kongsberg Discovery multibeam systems are used extensively for ROV navigation, inspection, and survey operations in low-visibility environments.
What camera system is used for FPSO riser monitoring?
FPSO riser monitoring typically requires cameras that can operate continuously in deepwater conditions, often with pan-and-tilt capability for wide-area coverage. Sidus Solutions subsea cameras are used in fixed monitoring applications on offshore structures including risers, manifolds, and wellheads. Key requirements include low-light sensitivity, corrosion-resistant housings rated for the operating depth, and reliable long-term operation without maintenance access. C.A. Richards can help evaluate camera specifications against the specific depth, visibility, and monitoring requirements of a riser monitoring application.
What is the difference between imaging sonar and multibeam sonar?
Imaging sonar (also called forward-looking sonar or FLS) produces a two-dimensional acoustic image of the water column and objects in front of the sensor, similar in concept to a camera but using sound instead of light. It is used for real-time navigation, obstacle avoidance, and close-range inspection. Multibeam sonar emits multiple acoustic beams simultaneously across a wide swath to measure water depth and generate high-resolution three-dimensional maps of the seabed or structure surfaces. The two technologies serve different purposes and are often used together on survey and inspection ROVs.
What DVR system is used for ROV video recording offshore?
Digital Edge Subsea EdgeDVR is the most widely deployed offshore digital video recording system, used by most major ROV and diving contractors worldwide with over 900 systems deployed. The EdgeDVR platform records, manages, and archives video from ROV cameras and other video sources, with software tiers ranging from Lite to Pro depending on channel count and feature requirements. C.A. Richards represents the EdgeDVR product line in the offshore and subsea industry and can assist with system selection, configuration, and support.
Ready to Find the Right Solution?
One conversation with our Houston-based team can save you weeks of back-and-forth. Tell us what you're working on.