Disclosed is a system that performs inspection and repair of an underwater
structure, specifically core internals in a pressure vessel. An
underwater vehicle is provided with a drive wheel, a contact force
generating unit (e.g., thruster) that presses the drive wheel to a
vertical wall of the underwater structure, an ascending force control
unit (e.g., ballast) that controls the buoyancy of the vehicle, a guide
roller that engages with and is pressed against an undersurface of the
underwater structure by the ascending force controlled by the ascending
force control unit. The underwater vehicle is appropriately positioned
with respect to the vertical direction by the guide roller. The drive
wheel is driven for rotation so that the underwater vehicle runs
horizontally along the vertical wall to reach the inspection or repair
site, where the inspection or repair is carried out by work tool mounted
to the underwater vehicle.