Bedrock Picks Exail’s Phins 9 Navigation for Next-Gen AUV

Exail has concluded its first sale of the Phins 9 Compact Inertial Navigation System (INS) to Bedrock, an underwater data acquisition platforms specialist.

The Phins 9 Compact INS will be integrated into Bedrock’s new autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV).

Bedrock's AUV is a purpose-built, modular platform designed for deployment for geophysical surveys and monitoring.

Equipped with Multibeam Echosounder (MBES), Side Scan Sonar (SSS), and Magnetometer (MAG), the AUV boasts a 300-meter depth rating and 12-hour endurance surveying at 3 knots with all systems operational.

The integration of Phins 9 Compact INS will empower Bedrock to achieve high navigational accuracy, address operational efficiencies, and mitigate Total Horizontal Uncertainty (THU) and Total Vertical Uncertainty (TVU), according to the companies.

"The INS was central to addressing uncertainties and performance challenges for our AUV. We are eager to witness the field performance of this INS during sea trials and explore its potential in enhancing our AUV's navigational capabilities,” said Charles Chiau, CTO and co-founder at Bedrock.

"The integration of our Phins 9 Compact INS into Bedrock's AUV exemplifies the innovation and precision that both companies strive to achieve. We look forward to the successful deployment of our technology and the positive impact it will have on Bedrock's geophysical survey capabilities,” added Shayan Haque, Sales Manager at Exail.

Boasting compact dimensions of 88.9 x 130 mm, the Phins 9 Compact stands as one of the most compact high-performance INS available in the market. With a power consumption of less than 7 W and a DVL-aided position accuracy of 0.1% TD, it is said to provide ‘exceptional reliability and navigation precision’ for compact subsea vehicles operating in demanding applications with low power requirements.

Earlier this week, Exail has introduced a new transoceanic uncrewed surface vessel - the DriX O-16 - designed for long-duration operations of up to 30 days and able to deploy multiple payloads and subsea assets.

• Exail Introduces New Transoceanic Uncrewed Surface Vessel