C-Innovation ROVs inks deal with Sonardyne
C-Innovation, an integrated marine services company whose core services and products evolve around ROVs within the oil and gas sector, has placed a major order for SPRINT Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) from Sonardyne International Ltd.
SPRINT is an acoustically aided inertial navigation system for subsea vehicles and makes optimal use of acoustic aiding data from acoustic USBL and LBL positioning and other sensors such as Doppler Velocity Log (DVL) and pressure sensors. This improves position accuracy, precision, reliability and integrity while reducing operational time and vessel costs.
Working closely with C-Innovation to understand their requirements when using Schilling’s UHD ROVs in their operations, SPRINT has been fully integrated into these ROVs, including the use of specialized Seanet connectors. This resulted in a tested, standardized configuration that supports a dedicated AHRS or INS output direct to the ROV with an automatic mode switch. A configuration that allows the system to be used as both a high performance AHRS for typical ROV guidance or as an INS that provides automatic station keeping capability for the ROV – both at the seafloor (using DVL aiding), and mid water (using USBL aiding). Dual output is a unique feature of SPRINT and further underlines Sonardyne’s understanding of C-Innovation’s and other customer’s specific requirements.
SPRINT uses Honeywell ring laser gyroscopes (RLG) and accelerometers with a 20+ year proven track record. The particular RLGs used are the standard inertial sensors supplied to almost all commercial aircraft and have also been widely used for military aircraft, vehicles and satellite navigation with a proven reliability track record.