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Professional diploma · Underwater robotics

Professional Diploma in Underwater Robotics

This professional diploma immerses you in underwater exploration and work. You will learn to design, build and operate ROVs, from the frame and thrusters to the control system, and you will cover sensors, navigation and mission planning.

100% online800 hours8 modulesTaught in EnglishEnrol any time

What is this programme?

This professional diploma immerses you in underwater exploration and work. You will learn to design, build and operate ROVs (remotely operated vehicles), which are used to inspect, repair and maintain subsea infrastructure, and you will prepare for a growing job market.

The programme covers the electronics, hydraulics and control needed to create efficient and reliable underwater robots. It combines theory and practice through real projects and simulations, oriented towards the offshore, scientific and defence industries.

The programme stands out in five areas: design and fabrication of custom ROVs, selecting suitable components and materials; electronics, programming and control of ROVs, including navigation systems and sensors; hydraulic systems for ROV manipulation and movement; safe and efficient ROV operation, with preventive and corrective maintenance; and practical applications in real inspection, repair and maintenance projects on subsea structures.

Programme highlights

  • Master underwater robotics: design, build and operate ROVs for exploration and inspection.
  • Electronics and control: the control systems, sensors and actuators essential to underwater robotics.
  • Subsea hydraulics and mechanics: hydraulic systems and mechanical design adapted to marine environments.
  • Underwater navigation and positioning: ROV navigation and positioning techniques using advanced technologies.
  • Practical applications: simulations and real projects in subsea industry scenarios.
  • Build your career in subsea exploration and maintenance.

Study plan

01Fundamentals of Underwater Robotics and the Aquatic Physical Environment100 h
Classification of ROVs, AUVs and gliders; physics of the underwater environment: hydrostatics, pressure, buoyancy, centre of mass and centre of buoyancy; marine hydrodynamics: resistance, drag coefficient, added mass and lift; structural design and materials for hyperbaric pressures (titanium, marine aluminium, acrylics, syntactic foams); sealing and watertightness: O-rings, mechanical seals, penetrator connectors and watertight enclosures; pressure compensation and oil-filled systems; ballast management, neutral buoyancy and stability; history and current state of underwater robotics.
02Hardware Architecture, Electronics and Propulsion Systems100 h
Onboard electronic architecture and communication buses (CAN, RS-485, Ethernet); thrusters: brushless motors, magnetic couplings, propellers and Kort nozzles; thruster configuration and thrust vectors in 3 to 6 degrees of freedom; power electronics and submersible speed controllers; power supply and energy storage: batteries, BMS and HVDC umbilical power; power and communication umbilicals: fibre optics, copper, shielding and flotation; payload integration with standardised interfaces; design of watertight housings.
03Underwater Sensors, Instrumentation and Perception100 h
Inertial navigation sensors: IMUs, fibre-optic gyroscopes and electronic compasses; depth and status sensors: pressure, temperature and leak detection; underwater acoustics: side-scan sonar, multibeam echosounders and altimeters; DVL (Doppler Velocity Log) and acoustic odometry; vision systems: high-definition cameras, refraction correction and LED lighting; image quality in turbid water: filtering, colour restoration, dehazing and stereo vision; inspection sensors: ultrasonic thickness gauges and corrosion potential probes; sonar and cameras for underwater robots.
04Kinematics, Dynamics and Automatic Control of Underwater Vehicles100 h
Coordinate transformations between reference frames and Euler angles/quaternions; forward and inverse kinematics of vehicles and manipulator arms; non-linear 6-degree-of-freedom dynamic modelling (Fossen equations); PID control of heading, depth and position; advanced and robust control: sliding mode, adaptive and model predictive control (MPC); thrust allocation; dynamic and hydrodynamic simulation (Gazebo, UWSim, Webots, ROS/ROS2); hydrodynamic modelling of vehicles.
05Underwater Navigation, Localisation and Mapping (SLAM)100 h
Acoustic positioning: LBL, SBL and USBL; navigation integration with extended and unscented Kalman filters (IMU, DVL, USBL and pressure); underwater SLAM: visual and acoustic sonar-based; 3D photogrammetric reconstruction and point clouds of submerged structures; path planning (A*, RRT, potential fields) and 3D obstacle avoidance; underwater communications: acoustic modems, optical communications and sensor networks; autonomous AUV control on long missions and handling of signal loss or emergencies; DVL-aided navigation.
06Intervention, Underwater Manipulation and Collaborative Robotics100 h
Manipulator arms (electric and hydraulic), degrees of freedom and reach; intervention tools: cutters, brushes, samplers, water jets and torque tools; floating-base manipulation and dynamic vehicle-arm coupling; haptic teleoperation, force feedback and augmented reality; multi-robot operations and AUV swarms for mapping and monitoring; soft robotics for fragile biological samples; maintenance of hydraulic manipulators: servo valves, pumps and environmentally friendly fluids; manipulators and end effectors.
07Industrial, Scientific and Defence Applications100 h
Inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) offshore: platforms, gas and pipelines; robotics for marine renewable energy: wind foundations and tidal turbines; underwater archaeology and biological and geological oceanography; inspection of civil infrastructure: dams, tunnels, outfalls and ship hulls; defence and security: mine countermeasures, threat detection, patrol and salvage; combined operations with unmanned surface vehicles (USVs); certification of operations under international standards (IMCA, DNV, ABS) and safety audits; applications in marine energy.
08Robotic Software Development, Artificial Intelligence and Integrating Project100 h
Software architecture with ROS/ROS2 and MOOS-IvP; real-time processing and computer vision (OpenCV, PyTorch, CUDA, Edge AI); applied AI: pipeline fault detection, fauna classification and target tracking; in-flight fault diagnosis (FDIR) and safe return-to-surface systems; robotics engineering project management: budgeting (CAPEX/OPEX), suppliers, tank and sea trials; preventive maintenance, pre-deployment checklists and safety in launch and recovery (LARS) operations; presentation of the integrating project; integrating project: design, simulation in ROS/Gazebo, control and navigation algorithms and a test plan for an ROV or AUV with a specific mission (pipeline inspection, scientific mapping or search and rescue).

Duration and format

800hours in total
8modules of 100 hours
100%online, at your own pace
Openenrolment all year round

At 10 hours a week you would finish in about 80 weeks; at 20 hours a week, in about 40.

What you will learn

  • Design and operate autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).
  • Develop navigation and control systems for underwater robots.
  • Interpret and analyse data from underwater sensors.
  • Implement safety protocols in underwater robotic operations.
  • Maintain and repair underwater robotic equipment.
  • Solve complex technical problems in underwater environments.

Career outcomes

  • ROV operation and maintenance technician: inspection, repair and remote manipulation underwater.
  • Subsea project engineer: design, development and management of underwater robotics projects.
  • Marine robotics researcher: new technologies and applications for underwater robots.
  • Sonar and underwater navigation systems operator: seabed localisation and mapping.
  • Maritime salvage and rescue technician: using ROVs in search and recovery.
  • Subsea infrastructure inspector: inspection of pipelines, cables and platforms.
  • Underwater robotics consultant: technical and strategic advice.
  • Underwater robotics trainer: instruction in the handling and maintenance of ROVs and subsea systems.

Entry requirements

  • Academic or professional profile: a higher vocational qualification in mechatronics, electronics, industrial automation or similar, or demonstrable professional experience with robotic equipment, preferably in aquatic environments.
  • Technical knowledge: basic notions of electronics, hydraulics, pneumatics and programming (Python, with C++ desirable), and familiarity with underwater navigation and control systems.
  • Physical aptitude: good general health and fitness for potentially demanding environments; a medical certificate may be required.
  • Documentation: up-to-date CV, copy of your qualification or academic certificate, identity document or passport and a motivation letter.
  • Technical requirements for the online part: a computer with high-speed internet, webcam, microphone and PDF reader. Enrolment is open all year round; admission is provisional until the committee validates your documentation.

How to enrol

Enrol online

Complete your enrolment on this page, or apply through admissions if you prefer to talk to us first.

Receive your access

We send you the details to enter the virtual campus and start the programme.

Study at your pace

Work through the modules when it suits you and complete the programme from anywhere in the world.

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