Originally Posted by JD-EE
auv-ee
I was concerned with that towing scenario and potentially snagging the ROV to cage tether on rocks given the mountainous terrain.
It's all about situational awareness. With lights, cameras and maybe an altimeter (acoustic range to bottom) on the cage/depressor, this can be done. Remember that 1knt is only 0.5m/sec horizontally, and the winch rate is typically 1-1.5m/sec; it's manageable. Doing this depends on the tools available to the operator (tether management between depressor and ROV, adequate visibility, ...), the operator's skill, and the severity of the terrain/currents. Certainly there are times and places where the ship can move with the ROV deployed, and others where it cannot.