Abstract—This paper presents the design, implementation, and performance evaluation of a miniature underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) specifically developed for leak detection in industrial tanks and reactors. The compact robot (390 × 85 × 85 mm) features a lightweight Polylactic Acid (PLA) frame and is powered by a LiPo battery, achieving optimal balance between structural integrity and maneuverability. The system incorporates a quad-propeller configuration, four 60-mm-diameter propellers with three CW/CCW blades each, and a front-mounted camera for navigation and inspection. Controlled via a wired connection providing both power and telemetry, the ROV demonstrates exceptional motion stability—a critical factor for reliable leak detection in confined underwater environments. Experimental evaluation in a controlled 5700×2080×1100 mm test tank yielded promising results, with path-tracking assessments showing minimal error rates (0.005–0.012 m Root Mean Square (RMS)) and stable operational velocity of 0.23 m/s. These performance metrics highlight the system’s precision and reliability in underwater navigation. The study further demonstrates the robot’s practical applicability for industrial maintenance scenarios, particularly in hard-to-access reactor components where conventional inspection methods prove challenging. The successful integration of compact design, stable propulsion, and precise control establishes this miniature ROV as a viable solution for complex underwater inspection tasks requiring both maneuverability and operational accuracy.

Keywords—mini underwater robots, control system, leak detection, Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV)

Cite: Rafiuddin Syam, Azwar Hayat, Syaiful Bakhri, Andi Amijoyo Mochtar, and Hamdani, "Design and Performance Assessment of a Mini Underwater Robot," International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics Research, Vol. 14, No. 5, pp. 525-533, 2025. doi: 10.18178/ijmerr.14.5.525-533

Copyright © 2025 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).