Published on:2026-05-24 Click:14
Customized 1-core optical fiber PUR foam floating ROV tether. Single fiber in a positively buoyant foamed PUR jacket for lightweight fiber-connected ROV tether applications.
The single-fiber PUR foam floating ROV tether is the minimal-drag, maximum-bandwidth tether solution for lightweight fiber-connected ROVs and AUVs. A single optical fiber (SM or MM) carries essentially unlimited data bandwidth -- 10 Gbps Ethernet, 4K video, sonar -- with near-zero electrical noise in the tether. The ultra-lightweight PUR foam jacket provides positive buoyancy so the cable floats at the surface, creating zero tether drag on the vehicle at operating depth. The foamed polyurethane (PUR) jacket uses a micro-cellular expanded jacket compound with a bulk density lower than seawater (~1.025 g/cm³), giving the cable near-zero or positive net buoyancy. This eliminates tether sag and reduces drag force on the ROV, improving vehicle manoeuvrability and reducing tether management workload during subsea operations.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Fiber Core | 1 x SM OS2 (9/125 μm) or MM OM4 |
| Jacket | PUR foam -- positively buoyant |
| Buoyancy | Positive (floats at surface) |
| Weight | Ultra-lightweight (~20--40 g/m typical) |
| Fiber Bandwidth | 10 Gbps+ (SM OS2) |
| OD | ~5--8 mm typical |
| Colour | Yellow / orange (high visibility) |
| Custom | Fiber type, buoyancy, OD, length, connector |
Request datasheet, custom length, or OEM pricing: sales@rovcable.com -- Shanghai Kabel Intelligence Technology Co., Ltd.
The jacket is manufactured from a micro-cellular expanded (foamed) polyurethane compound. During extrusion, a controlled foaming agent creates millions of tiny closed-cell air pockets within the jacket wall. These air cells reduce the bulk density of the jacket below that of seawater (~1.025 g/cm³), producing positive or neutral net buoyancy. The jacket retains all the abrasion resistance, oil resistance, and flexibility of standard PUR while achieving the buoyancy needed for ROV tether applications.
A single fiber supports full-duplex communication using wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM): one wavelength (e.g., 1310 nm) is used for Tx (surface to ROV) and another (1550 nm) for Rx (ROV to surface), both on the same physical fiber. Alternatively, a single fiber can carry simplex 10 Gbps using a time-division protocol. Contact us for transceiver recommendations for your specific ROV system.
