Welcome to the real world of underwater operations! This lesson is your first introduction to field operations and actually piloting a Defender. The focus is familiarization with the equipment, software and how the system performs under manual control. It is similar to your first time driving a car and getting used to how quickly the steering, acceleration and brakes respond to your inputs.

We recommend that you thoroughly review this lesson in an office environment before going into the field. You can print this lesson or copy it to the operator control console or personal computer so that you can have it available while you practice the exercises.

Make sure you have completed all of the Recommended Prerequisites before attempting this lesson.

And, VideoRay's Support Team is always available to assist should you need us.

First, and obviously, we need access to water. A pool is preferred, but almost any accessible natural body of water will do if that is all that is available. If a pool is not available, we recommend a location with clear and calm water. Low visibility and high current are not good conditions for a new operator.

Before we begin, let's make sure you have everything you will need. Do you have the items on checklist? A summary is here:

There is a saying among motorcyclists about motorcyclists, that goes, "There are two kinds of motorcyclists, those who have dropped their bikes, and those who will!"

The success of many missions and the general welfare of the system rely on good tether management practices. This includes knowledge of the concerns and tether handling skills. In this section, we will look at the various methods of handling tether and best practices to employ during operations.

Cross References

Cross References