Position estimates are important for position holding, path following, and vehicle autonomy. DVLs are a common source of positioning information (via velocity integration) for underwater vehicles, and often don't have direct integration with flight controller autopilot firmwares, so BlueOS is a useful compatibility layer.
| Manufacturer | Model | Cost (USD) | Alternative Source(s) | BlueOS Integration? | Depth rating (m) | Min. altitude (m) | Max.1 altitude (m) | Max. speed (m/s) | Long Term Accuracy | Diameter (mm) | Height (mm) | Mass (kg) | Volume (L) | Avg. Power (W) | DC input (V) | Freq. (kHz) | Ping rate (Hz) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cerulean | DVL-75 (OEM) | $2,299-$2,943 | ? | Extension | 300 | 0.3 | 40+ | 4.12 | ?2 | 77 | 33 | 0.25 | 0.1 (+elec) | 8 | 12-24 | 675 | 5-20 |
| Cerulean | DVL-75 most-/ all-in-one |
$2,598-$3,641 | ? | Extension | 300 | 0.3 | 40+ | 4.12 | ?2 | 82 | 111 | 0.73 | 0.52 | 8 | 12-24 | 675 | 5-20 |
| Water Linked | A50 standard |
$6,900/ $9,900 |
BR Reef | Extension | 300/ 600 |
0.05 | 50 | 3.75 | 1.01% | 66 | 25 | 0.25 | 0.1 | 3 | 10-30 | 1000 | 4-26 |
| Water Linked | A50 performance |
$7,880/ 10,880 |
? | Extension | 300/ 600 |
0.05 | 50 | 3.75 | 0.1%3 | 66 | 25 | 0.25 | 0.1 | 3 | 10-30 | 1000 | 4-26 |
| Teledyne | Wayfinder | $7,500 | ? | (Companion) Guide | 200 | 0.5 | 60 | 10 | 1.15% | 100x100sq | 70 | 0.85 | 0.7 | 3 | 11.4-36.7 | 600 | <=16 |
| Nortek | Nucleus1000 | <$10,000 | ? | Extension | 300 | 0.1 | 50 | ? | 1.01%/ 0.3%3 | 90 | 42 | 0.535 | <4 | 10-32 | 1000 | <=8 |
1 Achieved maximum altitude in a given scenario depends on factors such as tilt of the sensor head; flatness, hardness, and vegetation cover of the bottom; and salinity.
2 Cerulean provides "median expected dead reckoning circular error" (which the others don't provide) as 5% of distance travelled. They don't provide a long term velocity accuracy, so probably those numbers aren't comparable.
3 Export controlled.
*NOTE: If anyone is interested in comparing more options and/or extra details, there's a public spreadsheet - feel free to add more information on any DVL options that are suitable for inspection-class ROVs. There are already a few in there beyond what the table here includes :-)