emotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs) is the common accepted name for tethered underwater robots in the offshore industry.
ROVs are unoccupied, highly maneuverable and operated by a person aboard a vessel. They are linked to the ship by an umbilical cable, a group of cables that carry electrical power, video and data signals back and forth between the operator and the vehicle.
ROVs are equipped with at least a video camera and lights. Additional equipment is commonly added to expand the vehicle’s capabilities. These may include sonars, magnetometers, a still camera, a manipulator or cutting arm, water samplers, and instruments that measure water clarity, light penetration and temperature, highly accurate subsea navigation systems and so forth.