Using big-box hardware store items such as PVC pipe, Amazon thrusters, ESCs, and common hobbyist RC components, this project builds a simple ArduPilot ArduSub capable of exploring freshwater areas up to 30 feet deep. While ArduSub has traditionally been used on expensive commercial ROVs, the goal was to create a system that RC hobbyists—who already fly planes, miniquads, and rovers—could easily transition to. The total cost was under $200, excluding the autopilot and RC components that most hobbyists already possess. Future enhancements include a cheap depth sensor and a new mode that allows the vehicle to return to the surface, obtain a GPS fix, and then surface to home.
