Design Plans

OK so let's get back to this "Should I do a top-side buoy or not" thing.

I'm thinking about initial plans to include just a long tether to the ROV.   

ROV Hull - Long 4" cylinder with cameras fore and aft, with two "runners" along the side, which will house LED lights in the front, batteries in the middle, and thrusters in the rear.  Two skids will attach to the bottom of these outriggers, and there you have it - an ROV.

Very crude whiteboard drawing, but this is the concept.
Central tube houses all the brains, and the fore/aft cams.
Outriggers support it on the bed of the water body with
Steel feet / structures.   

Just not sure on how to do the up / down thrusters.  Thinking about doing angled motors underneath the ROV, so that it's not "straight up and down" but up and down at an angle.

Time will tell.   Also, the connections between main tube and outriggers will have to be solid in some fashion.   I'm going for the "sea ray" look...