FFHS 2010 ROV - Same Garage, New Direction
Published Apr 29, 2010
First Flight High School students participating in the 2010 ROV Regional Competition are spending most Saturdays working on the new ROV. (In this case an ROV is a remote controlled underwater robot). "Currently the kids are working on a full scale model of the 2010 ROV. We're using last year's design model for training purposes," notes ROV sponsor, teacher Andrew Thomas.
"This year's ROV is taking them in a whole new direction as far as control and technological advances. Our recent fundraisers (cheesecake sales and cookout at ACE in Kitty Hawk) have earned them enough to buy computer boards, joysticks, new motors and building materials."
Here, outside Thomas' garage which serves as the ROV workshop (from left) Sean O'Neal, Charles Brady, Patrick Gray, Barry Lawler and Chris Brennan on March 27; teammate David Spruill worked at home to program the "brain" for the ROV. The FFHS team won 6th overall in international competition last year, and first overall in design. Support for the team's efforts in any amount is welcomed.
The 2010 regional competition is May 15 at Langley AFB in Newport News. Thomas and team plan an open house pool event prior to the six-state regional contest.