ROV stands for Remotely Operated Vehicle. Almost always, a ROV is an underwater vehicle designed to complete tasks that are too dangerous, too boring, or too difficult for a human diver to accomplish. ROVs are piloted remotely with signals sent through a tether and have made it as deep as 35,000 feet below the sea floor. By percent growth, it is one of the fastest growing engineering industries. 

The Purdue IEEE ROV team competed in the world's largest ROV competition, the MATE (Marine Advanced Technology Education Center) competition where 340 teams from around the world participated. The mission this year focused on simulating submarine rescue ROVs that can deliver fresh air, deliver emergency supplies, survey a submarine for damage, and mate with an escape hatch in a worst-case scenario where people need to be brought on-board the ROV.

The Purdue team competed in the more technical Explorer class despite the fact that most universities are placed in the Ranger class their first year.  This put Purdue ahead of such universities as MIT, Georgia Tech, UNC, Embry-Riddle, and even the defending champions from Newfoundland.

To see a video of ROV Osprey in action, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrX_OsVcW4g