Argeo Chooses Henriksen's SOLUS Launch and Recovery System For Argus USV

Argeo has become the first commercial customer for the new Henriksen SOLUS launch and recovery system for unmanned surface vehicles (USV).  

Argeo employs a range of unmanned and autonomous vehicles for providing its advanced offshore survey and inspection services. The new SOLUS system now makes it possible for an uncrewed USV to be recovered by the mothership even in unfavorable sea conditions.

The Henriksen SOLUS system achieves this by enabling the 9-meter Argeo Argus USV to be brought alongside and reconnected to the mothership’s lifting wire by means of its telescopic mast. During launching and remotely controlled work operations, the USV’s mast is kept retracted within its structure. At the end of its mission, it is brought alongside the mother ship, and its mast is raised remotely by the USV’s controller so it reveals its lifting and painter lines. 

Even if the USV is pitching and rolling, the mast is able to present the boat’s recovery lines to the mothership’s crew. The personnel can then secure either of the lines with a threading boat hook. Once the connection has been made between the USV’s and the mothership’s painter line it becomes possible to quickly connect the crane’s fall wire to the lifting point on the USV and lift it on board the mothership. In this case, the Argeo Argus has been fitted with the SOLUS system as an important step in enhancing the ability of the company to use unmanned and autonomous craft world-wide.

The SOLUS system was developed by Henriksen AS at its factory on the Oslo fjord, Norway. The company is a well-respected manufacturer of advanced lifting hooks for marine applications and enjoys a 100 per cent safety record. It was, therefore, a natural development of its expertise to create its Launch and Recovery division. SOLUS is the latest addition to its product range which includes also launch and recovery systems for AUVs and advanced mine sweeping systems.