Abstract: In response to the demand for real-time monitoring of deep-sea remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and the problem of traditional ROV surface monitoring software visualization, the key technologies of software real-time strategy and development of virtual dashboard were studied in detail. A set of surface monitoring software was designed and developed based on the Sea Dragon ROV platform. The software adopted a 3-tier architecture, which achieved the main functions such as serial communication, data processing, status monitoring, equipment control and alarm display. Tested, the surface monitoring software can run stably under Windows system, with good real-time and friendly human-computer interaction performance.