The Mission Specialist Vehicle’s buoyancy can affect performance and should be adjusted for water type (fresh versus salt), payload and performance requirements.
The Defender ballast configuration consists of stainless steel weights that can be attached to the frame using the screws provided. Ballast should be added until the vehicle has a slight positive buoyancy so that it will return to the surface slowly when pushed down manually.
There are numerous hole in the ballast and mounting holes that allow the ballast to be placed slightly fore or aft to trim the vehicle so that it is level. The Defender has pitch control, so a perfectly level trim is not necessary. If the mission calls for pitch down (retrieving object from the bottom) or pitch up (ship’s hull inspection), adjusting the trim accordingly can help reduce the pitch control effort required.
Base Defender
| WEIGHT | PORT | STARBOARD | FRONT |
| 250 g | 3 | 3 | 6 |
HARDWARE:
(4) 70886 SHCS M6 X 35 MM 18-8 SS
(2) 71417 SHCS M6 X 40MM 18-8 SS
(2) 71418 SHCS M6 X 50MM 18-8 SS
(2) 71859 WING NUT M6 18-8 SS
(2) 70869 M6 SOCKET HEAD SCREW KNOB BLACK
PLACEMENT:
Holes 1 and 5 (L to R) on PORT ROV
Holes 2 and 6 (L to R) on STARBOARD ROV
Holes 3 and 7 (L to R) on PORT ballast weight
Holes 1 and 5 (L to R) on STARBOARD ballast weight
Defender with Oculus Sonar
| WEIGHT | PORT | STARBOARD | FRONT |
| 250 g | 3 | 3 | 4 |
HARDWARE:
(4) 70886 SHCS M6 X 35 MM 18-8 SS
(2) 71859 WING NUT M6 18-8 SS
(4) 70869 M6 SOCKET HEAD SCREW KNOB BLACK
PLACEMENT:
Holes 1 and 5 (L to R) on PORT ROV
Holes 2 and 6 (L to R) on STARBOARD ROV
Holes 3 and 7 (L to R) on PORT ballast weight
Holes 2 and 6 (L to R) on STARBOARD ballast weight
Defender with Rotating Manipulator
| WEIGHT | PORT | STARBOARD | FRONT |
| 250 g | 2 | 2 | 2 |
HARDWARE:
(6) 71025 SHCS M6 X 25mm 18-8 SS
PLACEMENT:
Holes 2 and 6 on PORT ROV
Holes 1 and 5 on STARBOARD ROV
Holes 1 and 5 (L to R) on PORT ballast weight
Holes 3 and 7 (L to R) on STARBOARD ballast weight
Holes on OCULUS PLATE for FRONT ballast weight
Defender with Oculus Sonar and Rotating Manipulator
| WEIGHT | PORT | STARBOARD | FRONT |
| 250 g | 2 | 2 | 0 |
HARDWARE:
(4) 71025 SHCS M6 X 25mm 18-8 SS
PLACEMENT:
Holes 2 and 6 on PORT ROV
Holes 2 and 6 on STARBOARD ROV
Holes 3 and 7 (L to R) on PORT ballast weight
Holes 1 and 5 (L to R) on STARBOARD ballast weight
Defender with Oculus Sonar, Rotating Manipulator, DVL/GPS
| WEIGHT | PORT | STARBOARD | FRONT |
| 250 g | 2 | 2 | 0 |
HARDWARE:
(4) 71025 SHCS M6 X 25mm 18-8 SS
PLACEMENT:
Holes 2 and 5 (L to R) on PORT ROV
Holes 1 and 5 (L to R) on STARBOARD ROV
Holes 3 and 7 (L to R) on PORT ballast weight
Holes 1 and 5 (L to R) on STARBOARD ballast weight
Defender with Oculus Sonar, Rotating Manipulator, DVL/GPS/USBL
| WEIGHT | PORT | STARBOARD | FRONT |
| 250 g | 1 | 2 | 0 |
HARDWARE:
(2) 71025 SHCS M6 X 25mm 18-8 SS
(2) 70962 SHCS M6 X 22mm 18-8 SS
PLACEMENT:
Holes 1 and 5 (L to R) on PORT ROV
Holes 2 and 6 (L to R) on STARBOARD ROV
Holes 3 and 7 (L to R) on PORT ballast weight
Holes 1 and 5 (L to R) on STARBOARD ballast weight
DEPENDING ON WHERE USBL IS PLACED ON ROV
Defender with Rotating Manipulator, DVL/GPS
| WEIGHT | PORT | STARBOARD | FRONT |
| 250 g | 2 | 2 | 2 |
HARDWARE:
(4) 71025 SHCS M6 X 25mm 18-8 SS
PLACEMENT:
Holes 1 and 5 (L to R) on PORT ROV
Holes 2 and 6 (L to R) on STARBOARD ROV
Holes 3 and 7 (L to R) on PORT ballast weight
Holes 1 and 5 (L to R) on STARBOARD ballast weight
Defender with Blueview Sonar, Rotating Manipulator, DVL/GPS
| WEIGHT | PORT | STARBOARD | FRONT |
| 250 g | 1 | 1 | 0 |
HARDWARE:
(4) 70962 SHCS M6 X 22mm 18-8 SS
PLACEMENT:
Holes 2 and 6 (L to R) on PORT ROV
Holes 1 and 5 (L to R) on STARBOARD ROV
Holes 1 and 5 (L to R) on PORT ballast weight
Holes 3 and 7 (L to R) on STARBOARD ballast weight
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