Autonomy Advances: New Vessel Range
L3 Technologies, Sonardyne Debut 6G-Enabled Autonomous Vessel Range
L3 Technologies and Sonardyne International will offer 6G-enabled capability across its commercial autonomous vessel product range.
L3’s C-Stat 2 and C-Cat 3 autonomous vessels will be offered factory-fitted with Sonardyne’s 6G range of Ranger 2 Ultra-Short BaseLine (USBL) tracking and communications systems. These unique platforms and sensor combinations have been proven to deliver optimized solutions for data gathering and subsea positioning tasks during inshore and offshore operational scenarios.
“Factory fitting Sonardyne 6G adds value to our existing solutions, making the transition from conventional manned survey platforms to autonomy a much smoother process for companies looking to gain the competitive edge with lower costs and safer data acquisition,” said James Cowles, Commercial Technical Sales Manager, L3 UK.
The C-Stat 2, equipped with Sonardyne’s Ranger 2 Gyro USBL model, is designed for operators needing to position underwater assets with high levels of precision. The platform will enable a range of tasks, such as touchdown monitoring, seismic cable lay operations, Compatt 6 Long BaseLine (LBL) array box-in and remote LBL baseline calibration, vehicle tracking and subsea sensor data collecting.
The C-Cat 3, equipped with Mini-Ranger 2, will be able to operate as a gateway for Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) operations, enabling tracking and communications with up to 10 AUVs at the same time.
“Combining these capabilities means customers have access to vessels that can perform more remote and autonomous marine operations; including tracking multiple AUVs and real-time data harvesting in hard to access environments across defense, offshore and ocean science sectors,” said Ioseba Tena, Global Business Manager – Marine Robotic Systems, Sonardyne.