Maine State Police Located a Sunken ATV in Under 30 Minutes Using the DTG3 ROV

AT A GLANCE

CLIENT

LOCATION:

Maine, United States

SECTOR:

Defense & Security

SUPPLIER:

Deep Trekker

TECHNOLOGY / PRODUCT USED:

Deep Trekker DTG3 ROV

TARGETED APPLICATION

Underwater Recovery

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Read The Full Case Study Here

Accelerating underwater recovery in dangerous under-ice conditions while eliminating the need for high-risk manual diving

<30 Mins

Required to search a

596-acre area and locate the target.

656 Ft

Depth operating capability

↓↓↓

Life-threatening ice

diving risks

By deploying the DTG3 ROV, the Maine State Police addressed the dangerous challenge of manual under-ice diving in a massive 596-acre pond. The team was able to locate the sunken target in under 30 minutes, covering the 596-acre area without putting a diver at risk. This allowed for a safe, rapid recovery of submerged property using the ROV’s 4K UHD camera and manipulator arm to secure retrieval lines.

The Challenge

On February 1 at Crawford Pond, Maine, two ATV riders drove into open water. While the riders were rescued, their ATV and an auger were lost in a 596-acre pond with a maximum depth of 57 feet. Traditionally, locating such small targets in a vast body of water required sending divers under the ice—an "extremely dangerous" task that often fails if the water is too deep. Special Agent Glenn Lang noted that these cases are "brutal on families and first responders," highlighting a dire need for a safer, more efficient search method.

The Solution

To avoid the risks of manual diving, the team deployed the Deep Trekker DTG3 ROV from a flat-bottomed jon boat. The DTG3 is a portable, mini observation-class vehicle designed for rapid deployment. Utilizing its internal pivoting 4K UHD camera, the team performed a visual sweep of the bottom. Once the target was identified, the ROV was not just used for sight; it actively participated in the recovery by tying a slipknot directly onto the sunken ATV, allowing it to be winched to the surface.

KEY FEATURES

Internal Pivoting 4K UHD Camera:

Offers 270-degree underwater views for high-resolution target identification.

Durable & Portable Submersible:

Built for quick, safe deployment in "observation-class" missions.

Customizable External Ports:

Supports sensors, sonars, and manipulators

Versatile Integration:

Can be used alongside custom-built recovery tools like booms and anchors.

RESULTS

The ROV transformed a potentially multi-day search into a rapid operation, locating the ATV within 30 minutes. It successfully retrieved both the vehicle and a lost auger, saving significant time and resources. Beyond this single mission, the project proved the ROV’s value as a "force multiplier" for the State Police, Knox County Sheriff’s Department, and Maine Warden Service. Lang is now expanding the solution’s impact by developing custom innovations, including a mechanical scoop for environmental cleanup and a specialized boom system to lift heavier sunken objects like boats and snowmobiles located by the ROV.

Depth operating capability utilized for deep-water recovery

to search a 596-acre area and locate the target