  In this study, a small, inexpensive remotely driven underwater vehicle that
can navigate in shallow water for the purpose of monitoring water quality and
demonstrating vehicle control algorithms is presented. The vehicle is operated
by an onboard micro-controller, and the sensor payload comprises a turbidity
sensor for determining the quality of the water, a depth sensor, and a 9-axis
inertial measurement unit. The developed vehicle is an open frame remotely
operated vehicle (ROV) with a small footprint and a modular physical and
electrical architecture. With a net weight of 1.6 kg, a maximum depth rating of
20 meters, and a development cost of around $80, the ROV frame is composed of
polyvinyl chloride tubes and has a length of 0.35 meters. As a ground station,
a dedicated laptop shows crucial vehicle data in real time and can send
commands to the vehicle. Initial testing in the pool demonstrates that the
vehicle is completely operational and effectively complies with pilot commands.
