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VideoRay Underwater Robot Locates Body and Assists Divers in Frozen Minnesota Lake - December 21, 2004

Little Yellow Sub Lights Up Cab of Submerged Vehicle – VideoRay helps divers get in and out of dangerously cold waters.

This past Sunday, the VideoRay underwater robot located the body of a 65-year old male who drove his Bombardier tracked trail groomer through the ice on Lake Vermilion in St. Louis county, Minnesota. Operated by St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office personnel, the VideoRay was launched prior to sending divers into frigid waters where air temperatures dropped below minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit and wind chills exceeded 50 below zero.

The body of Andrew “Nonny” Horshak was located on Saturday, 26 feet underwater by the VideoRay, which was “the first thing in the water,” says St. Louis County Undersheriff David Phillips. The body was pinpointed in the cab of the machine by ROV. According to Phillips, “Saturday evening we tried to send in divers but they hit a wall with immediate regulator freeze ups” in the extremely cold temperatures.

To recover the body on Sunday, divers followed the yellow tether attached to the submersible. The ROV was then utilized to monitor diver status and provide lighting for the diver who made the eventual recovery.

“The technique of sending in the VideoRay to light up the vehicle worked particularly well with the diver and provided us with videotaped documentation of the scene. By looking at the live video the sub sent to the surface, we could confirm that the diver was safe,” says Phillips. The VideoRay was used to record the entire scene above water as well. According to Phillips, “The sub’s small size and hand-held portability provides the added benefit of acting as a totally weatherproof video camera on the surface.” The operation was successfully accomplished by the efforts of the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office Rescue Squad, Greenwood Fire Department, Virginia Fire Department, and the Carlton County/Cloquet Dive Team.

“We came to the conclusion that if we can operate under these awful conditions during the past 24 hours, we can operate anywhere in the world,” says Phillips.

About VideoRay:
With more than 2,000 Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) in service around the world, VideoRay has clearly become the global leader in Observation ROV technology. VideoRay is an extremely versatile, portable, affordable, and reliable solution for underwater operations including surveys, offshore inspections, search & recovery, homeland & port security, science & research, fish farming, and other unique applications in underwater environments. “Plug and play” technology allows you to quickly attach sensors and accessories in the field so you can successfully complete your mission. VideoRay is available on the General Services Administration.

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WHY VIDEORAY?

AFFORDABILITY

With ROVs starting under $10,000 (in the US), the cost is quickly justified when compared to commercial dive missions or funding the purchase, mobilization, staffing, and operation of larger ROVs.

PORTABILITY

One person can transport the tiny 8-pound sub, control box and tether. The Scout system weighs less than 70 pounds and packs neatly in one rolling Pelican case. All other systems fit in two Pelican cases that can be transported in a car trunk or helicopter, or checked as airline baggage.

USABILITY

Driving the VideoRay is similar to operating a video game. A specially trained ROV pilot is not needed. (In fact, kids raised on video games routinely put adults to shame piloting VideoRay.). VideoRay is equally at home with a search and rescue team as it is with a yacht owner enjoying live views of a coral reef in St. Thomas. Additional controls on advanced models include front camera focus and tilt, rear camera selection and automatic depth holding (see the product detail pages for complete lists of features and capabilities of each model).

SAFETY

Since VideoRay uses less than 500 watts of power, a car or marine battery with inverter, small gasoline generator, or any 100-240 VAC outlet powers the control box and submersible. The current running through the tether to the submersible is a comparatively safe 48 VDC, rather than the possibly lethal 360-plus VDC used by other ROVs. This makes it safe for divers to handle the submersible in the water, and for kids to swim with it in a pool.

REACH

Standard tether lengths vary by model, but additional neutral, negative, and positively buoyant tethers can be added to extend the overall reach of the VideoRay up to 1,100 feet. Tethers are available in a variety of lengths to meet the needs of particular water conditions or projects.