Improve Scuba Certification with Mini-ROV

Exploring the marine world by means of diving has been growing in popularity since the 16^th century when people began to use dive bells supplied with air from the water’s surface (Lean More Here). Since then, humans have continued to push the boundaries to dive deeper and see further while below the surface of the water. It’s incredible to think that in the past century, technology has developed so much so that humans who are not meant to survive underwater have been able to swim with rare marine species, live in an underwater community for several weeks and reach depths not thought possible 100 years ago.

While many of us in this world share the same passion for underwater exploration, dive ventures are not a simple matter of throwing on equipment and getting in the water. Though the collective “We” have been learning more and more every year about the lakes, oceans and species that live within them, the marine world is a foreign place to humans and every time someone puts on a dive suit to explore the depths there are a number of associated risks that they accept.

That is why both scuba and salvage diving are taken very seriously and require training courses to ensure that everyone who dips into the depths of the oceans know how to handle certain situations and possible challenges that can be faced underwater.

In this post, we are going to discuss how diver courses, at all levels, can be improved with the acquisition of a mini-ROV for the course.

Whether you are looking to build a career out of diving or simply want to be able to explore the immense beauty of the underwater world, there is a dive instruction course right for you. PADI, the world’s leading scuba diver training organization, with more than 6200 dive centers and resorts worldwide is the most widely known dive certification organization in the world. They offer dive certification courses at a variety of levels to ensure that everyone who takes the plunge is equipped with the essential skills needed to perform a safe dive.

PADI explains that Scuba certification includes three phases of training.

1. Knowledge Development- PADI describes this phase as the time when you learn the basic principles of scuba diving like what to consider when planning dives, how to choose the right gear and underwater signals and other procedures.

A mini-ROV can be a huge asset to this phase of diver certification by offering a way for dive instructors to capture underwater footage of previous dives, past courses and common mistakes. Since this portion of the certification process involves a lot of knowledge retention on the student’s behalf, having quality footage to demonstrate basic skills and common mistakes can be an effective way to learn about the basics. Before even dipping a toe into the water, a mini-ROV is able to show the students what to expect.

2. Confined Water Dives- this is the phase of certification when students get to experience putting on their gear and getting in the water. PADI explains that it often takes place in a pool or small body of water with pool-like conditions, this is the time when students first experience what it is like to be a scuba diver. Some of the essential skills learned during this period include setting up scuba gear, removing water from mask, entering and exiting the water, buoyancy control, basic underwater navigation, and safety procedures.

Again, this is a portion of the certification where a mini-ROV can be a huge asset to the course. By having an ROV underwater with the divers, instructors are able to get an underwater view of their students, are able to record footage of their students which allow them to make corrective suggestions when the student surfaces by showing them firsthand what they are doing and how to improve it, as well as allow other students to watch from an underwater point of view as well.

3. The last phase of training certification is the Open Water Dive- this is the phase of certification when the instructor will set out on four dives with their students. During this time students will become familiar with diving in open water and have the chance to explore the underwater world with the reassurance of knowing an instructor is right there.

Though maybe not as obvious, this is the phase of training where having a mini-ROV can actually be the most beneficial in terms of safety. Though the instructor is below the water with the students, open water comes with significantly more risks than confined water dives because there is more room for the elements to take over. Adding a mini-ROV to the crew allows the team members sitting on shore/onboard the vessel to watch what is taking place underwater. In the event that something does go wrong, response time is significantly reduced by having an ROV monitoring because it gives those on shore an immediate indication of what is taking place leaving them with more time to respond to the situation.

So, as you can see adding a mini-ROV to scuba training courses can be highly beneficial in a number of ways. From recording footage for the pre-dive training, to giving students a first-hand view of how they are doing while underwater, to adding an extra element of safety during the open water dives, mini-ROVs are great tool for diver certification courses.