Kraken Bags AquaPix Sonar Contract
Kraken Robotics Inc. wholly-owned subsidiary, Kraken Robotic Systems Inc. has been awarded a contract valued at over C$450,000 by a leading military customer for its AquaPix Miniature Synthetic Aperture Sonar system.Kraken said the customer's name could not be disclosed due to the confidential nature of the application. Delivery is expected in the fourth quarter of 2018.Karl Kenny, Kraken President and CEO, said, “This is the third AquaPix contract from this customer. The reason this customer has once again selected AquaPix is because it is the industry leading sonar system, which provides
Aleron’s New Hybrid ROV Goes to Work
Following a six-figure sum investment in research and development, the new hybrid TRACKROV system has been mobilized to carry out unexploded ordnance identification (UXO) surveys for a major renewables project in The Netherlands.Aberdeenshire-based ROV and tooling engineering firm Aleron Subsea said its new TRACKROV technology has secured its first contract win to support unexploded clearance work for a wind farm route clearance project in the region.The high-tech TRACKROV vehicle has been built to operate on the seabed for extended periods and in currents of up to three knots. By designing it as a
MTR’s “Top 10” Ocean Influencers
Out today is the 13th Annual “MTR100”, Marine Technology Reporter’s profiling of 100 leading companies, people and technologies in the subsea space. This year for the first time the editorial staff, with input from the global industry, delivers a listing of the “Top 10 Ocean Influencers.” Marine Technology Reporter’s Top 10 are profiled in short below; for the full editorial see the July/August 2018 edition at: https://magazines.marinelink.com/nwm/MarineTechnology/201807/No. 1Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman, Nippon FoundationYohei Sasakawa, Chairman, Nippon Foundation
US Destroyer Wreckage Discovered off Remote Alaskan Island
overlooked early campaign of World War II.Heroic action by the crew saved the ship, but for the families of the doomed Sailors, the final resting place of loved ones lost in the predawn hours of Aug. 18, 1943 remained unknown.On July 17, a NOAA-funded team of scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego and the University of Delaware discovered the missing 75- foot stern section in 290 feet of water off of Kiska, one of only two United States territories to be occupied by foreign forces in the last 200 years.“This is a significant discovery
US Navy Tests Kraken’s KATFISH SAS
The U.S. Navy is testing a high-speed actively controlled towed Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS) system for multi-mission applications, including mine countermeasures.Canadian based developer of software-centric sensors and underwater robotic systems Kraken Robotics Inc. said its wholly owned subsidiary, Kraken Robotic Systems Inc., has signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) creating a new a joint research and development relationship with U.S. Navy’s Naval Undersea Warfare Center – Division Newport (NUWCDIVNPT).The overall objective, Kraken said, is to provide NUWC
Fugro Resumes Norwegian Seabed Mapping Project
completed numerous surveys for the program since 2006, collecting more than 100,000 square kilometers of data.In water depths that typically range from 80 meters to 1,700 meters, the survey area of approximately 14,500 square kilometers is located between the Norwegian Sea, the Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean. Fugro’s equipment on the survey vessels, including MV Victor Hensen and MV Fugro Gauss, will collect high resolution, high density multibeam echo sounder data, together with sub-bottom and gravity meter data, to gather marine knowledge for the Norwegian mapping program. The fieldwork is scheduled
A Soft Solution to a Hard Underwater Problem
Soft grippers can be 3D printed on board ships to safely sample different types of sea lifeThe deep ocean—dark, cold, under high pressure, and airless—is notoriously inhospitable to humans, yet it teems with organisms that manage to thrive in its harsh environment. Studying those creatures requires specialized equipment mounted on remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) that can withstand those conditions in order to collect samples. This equipment, designed primarily for the underwater oil and mining industries, is clunky, expensive, and difficult to maneuver with the kind of control needed for
Port of Antwerp Tests Autonomous Sounding Boat
to supplement the other operational sounding boat, the Echo.Both of these carry out measurements of the water depth everywhere in the port so as to guarantee safe passage for shipping. The cloud-based technology – a first – has been developed in partnership between the Port Authority and dotOcean and is only one of the many initiatives being taken by the Port Authority in the field of digital innovation.Innovation is a powerful response to today's fast-changing world and so is a main component of the future vision of Antwerp Port Authority. In collaboration with the port community the
Fugro Advances Bathymetric Lidar Mapping Capabilities
complete several large-scale surveys in the Americas with projects in other regions expected to follow.RAMMS is the second major technology innovation offered by Fugro in partnership with Areté Associates. In 2015 the companies launched the pioneering aerial survey platform known as ROCIS (Rapid Ocean Current Imaging System) to measure surface ocean currents. In high demand since then, Fugro has collected more than 168,000 nautical miles of ROCIS data in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico to support offshore oil and gas operations
Ocean Networks Canada: 'Wiring the Abyss'
A high-tech range of specialized equipment was recently installed deep in the northeast Pacific Ocean to help scientists assess the location’s suitability for observing one of the universe’s most essential and difficult-to-study ingredients, neutrinos.Ocean Networks Canada (ONC), as part of an initiative of the University of Victoria, deployed the equipment during its annual offshore mission to install and improve cabled observatory infrastructure. This year's project was called Expedition 2018: Wiring the Abyss.Neutrinos are one of the universe’s most essential ingredients and
Scientists Complete 1700km Autonomous Acoustics Mission
with previous missions, Lyra was also fitted with a Cefas ESM2 data logger, which collected information on the physical properties of the sea surface including salinity, temperature, oxygen, fluorescence, turbidity and solar irradiance data at five-minute intervals. These data will be used to study the oceanographic features of this dynamic area. Lyra was also fitted with a meteorological sensor recording wind speed and direction, air temperature and barometric pressure, which will be used to estimate sea state and thus the performance of the acoustic system under different weather conditions.Preliminary
Fugro to Conduct Marine Lidar Bathymetry Survey in Australia
Fugro said it has won a contract to collect seafloor data for the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH), on behalf of the New South Wales Government, Australia.The project will deliver data as part of OEH’s Seabed NSW program, announced earlier this year, and involves the collection of high resolution, seamless bathymetry across the New South Wales coastal and marine environment. The data will assist in mapping the seafloor and sediment compartments along the NSW coast. This information will enable councils, scientists and government agencies to better understand nearshore processes and allow
Drone Boats to Face-Off in Global RobotX Challenge
students create with their WAM-Vs.”The WAM-Vs delivered for the competition are the same model employed by industry, government, and research institutes around the globe, currently operating in 10 countries. An innovative class of watercraft, WAM-Vs from 8’ to 150’ can be tasked with ocean sensor deployment and retrieval; port surveillance and security; Marine Protected Area monitoring and enforcement; UUV deployment and retrieval; nodal communications; benthic operations survey; maritime interdiction; and offshore oil and gas operations
Hunting Pipes and Cables at a Lower Cost
A new way to hunt down and survey buried submarine pipelines, energy cables and communication cables, comes as Innovatum teams up their Smartrak magnetic sensor system to a Saab Seaeye Sabertooth autonomous robotic vehicle.As Innovatum’s Smartrak is the smallest survey system of its type, high quality data is now available at a much lower cost.Skimming just two meters off the seabed in shallow turbulent waters - typical of installation sites - Sabertooth is the only autonomous vehicle able to handle the out-rigged Smartrak, whilst its iCON intelligent control system thinks for itself.“I&rsqu
New Long-range RTsys Recorder Launched
The new acoustic recording system from the RTsys company synchronizes 16 hydrophones for improved range and recording quality while still controlling cost and energy consumption. The MULTHY system will be available at the beginning of 2019. The MULTHY recording system can hear up to four times further, thanks to its 16 acquisition channels. MULTHY has a listening surface 16 times larger than an RTsys RESEA recorder, which can only accept up to four hydrophones.MULTHY is a system made up of a recorder coupled to an acoustic antenna (linear, flat or geometric) equipped with 16 omnidirectional
WHOI Test Site Aims to Boost Marine Robotics Sector
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s (WHOI) Center for Marine Robotics kicked off its 4th Annual Entrepreneur Showcase and Leadership Forum last week with the official opening of a new pressure test facility that will help researchers and companies better develop innovative marine technologies. The new facility will allow WHOI to replicate the pressure of the deep ocean in an onshore facility which will more than triple the project capacity of its existing manually-operated system, allow for unattended 24/7 operations, and expand the ability of researchers and private firms to test their
Ocean Infinity, NMOC Partner for R&D
Offshore ocean data and exploration company Ocean Infinity said it has signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the U.S. Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (NMOC), based at the Space Center in Stennis, Miss. During the next five years the collaboration will focus on combining and expanding technologies relating to a broad range of deepwater platforms and sensors focused on undersea data gathering and analysis.Oliver Plunkett, CEO of Ocean Infinity, commented, “We are very focused on being at the forefront of technology and this agreement to work and share knowledge
Remote Monitoring System Delivered for The Ocean Cleanup
Subsea technology company Seatools said it has completed the development, manufacturing and testing of a remote offshore monitoring system on behalf of The Ocean Cleanup, a nonprofit organization dedicated to removing plastic from the world’s oceans.The monitoring system is currently integrated into the first-ever ocean cleanup system at The Ocean Cleanup’s assembly yard in Alameda, Calif.In the third quarter of 2018, The Ocean Cleanup’s system will be deployed into the waters between Hawaii and San Francisco. The primary goal of the Pacific trials is to confirm the performance of
Soundnine XTP Sensors Deployed on Polar Buoy
equipped with eXpendable Temperature and Pressure (XTP) sensors from Soundnine Inc. was deployed for the UpTempo project. The UpTempO project, headed by Dr. Mike Steele of the University of Washington, Polar Science Center, uses inexpensive buoys to measure the Upper layer Temperature of the Polar Oceans. The buoy was deployed in northern Hudson bay on June 14, 2018 by Canadian research icebreaker CCGS Amundsen. It transmits real-time temperature and conductivity data to 25 meters deep, enabling scientists to measure the rate of surface warming as Arctic sea ice increasingly thins and retreats each
High-tech Sensors Advance Tsunami Monitoring
risk mitigation programs. Real-time tsunami monitoring and warning systems are being developed to save lives, model wave propagation and quantify coastal hazards.The Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) has recently taken delivery of five new RBRquartz³ BPRs (bottom pressure recorders) from oceanographic instrumentation manufacturer RBR for a long-term research program with the Insitu Marine Laboratory for Geosystems Research (iMARL). The iMARL is a network of deep sea ocean sensors including ocean bottom seismographs (OBS), broadband acoustic sensors, and RBRquartz³ BPRs for measuring
Ocean Robots Gather Live Data from Volcano Lava Flow
Two high-tech autonomous ocean robots have been deployed to capture live ocean data close to where lava is flowing into the ocean from Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano.By using Liquid Robotics’ unmanned Wave Gliders, scientists have the rare opportunity to study the effects of the lava entering the ocean, the plume it creates and the interactions of the lava and seawater directly from the surface of the ocean. Scientists note that very few volcanic eruptions and lava flows have ever been monitored in real time from the ocean.Over a three-week mission, the long-duration wave and solar powered Wave
How Does River Outflow Impact Coastal Sea Level?
A new study led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) has uncovered a new factor affecting coastal sea levels.Tides, winds, waves and even barometric pressure have been known to play a role in the ebb and flow of the ocean in coastal areas. According to the recent study, river outflow could play a role in sea level change as well.The study, published July 9 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, examined decades’ worth of river level and tidal data from gauges installed throughout the eastern U.S. The researchers then combined that data with information on
Subsea Robotics for Renewables
by 80%. A system was moving to full testing and validation at the ORE Catapult’s National Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth, northeast England.GroutTo address the issues around grout and weld faults on monopiles and jackets, the OWA is supporting a number of subsea technology developers, including Oceaneering. The US-based firm is one of two being supported to develop jacket foundation weld inspection technologies. Oceaneering has offered a tool which will attached to the jacket structure to perform a detailed scan of node welds. Kraken Robotics, meanwhile, developed laser imaging device, which
Norwegians Collaborate on Mapping Plastic in the Oceans
The Institute of Marine Research, shipowner Torvald Klaveness, Kongsberg and the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association have entered into a public-private partnership to develop a pilot project with the aim of mapping marine plastic and other environmental parameters vital to the health of the oceans. The partners will equip several vessels with advanced sensors to collect data for the Institute of Marine Research. Every minute, about 15 tons of plastic end up in the ocean. If this trend of marine plastic pollution continues, by 2050 there may be more plastic than fish in the sea. This is
OSIL's Turbidity Monitoring for Aberdeen Harbor Expansion
Ocean Scientific International Ltd (OSIL) have provided construction company Dragados UK with a turbidity monitoring solution to report on the dredging activities of the Aberdeen Harbor Expansion Project. OSIL have supplied two 1.9m buoy platforms, equipped with standalone turbidity sensors, and were on-site for the installation of the buoys in addition to conducting pre-installation monitoring during the build and testing of the buoys. OSIL were able to complete the entire process from quotation to installation (including meeting clients, specifying requirements, building and shipping the buoys)
Hydroid's Most Compact AUV Ever Produced
of designing one of the most compact autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) ever produced, they collaborated with Nortek to provide high-quality navigational equipment capable of fitting such a small form factor. Hydroid has built on REMUS AUV technology – first developed at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts – to become a leading manufacturer of trusted, field-proven lightweight AUVs for underwater search and survey. Acquired by Norwegian technology firm Kongsberg Maritime in 2008, the company manufactures AUVs suitable for a range of subsea conditions, from
Ocean Infinity Donates Data to Seabed Mapping Project
Texas-based surveying company Ocean Infinity has donated survey data from its search for missing Malaysian airliner MH370 to The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project which aims to map the entirety of the world’s ocean floor by 2030.The 120,000 square kilometers of data will be incorporated into the latest version of the global map of the ocean floor. So far, only a fraction of the ocean floor has been mapped with direct measurement.Ocean Infinity’s data was collected by a fleet of eight autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), enabling the surveying company to gather data much more
Multifunctional Plough Completes First Job for Assodivers
Subsea equipment designer and manufacturer Soil Machine Dynamics Ltd (SMD) said its Multi-Mode Pre Lay Plough, delivered to Greek offshore contractors Assodivers Ltd in Spring this year, has completed its first offshore job in the Baltic sea.The Multi-Mode Pre Lay Plough is the newest addition to SMD's power cable installation and protection product range. This plough has configurations for boulder clearing, trenching and backfill. The boulder clearance pass clears a 13.0m wide route including surface and submerged boulders. The trenching pass creates an engineered ‘Y’ trench profile
ION Sells Compasses for Subsea Vehicle Navigation
ION announced today the second sale of a number of its highly differentiated optical magnetic heading sensors to enable subsea vehicles to quickly reach their desired destinations.In the fourth quarter, successful field trials demonstrated the advanced compasses’ accuracy in GPS-deprived environments and led to delivery of the first commercial order in the first quarter.In less than a year, ION's devices business line made adjustments to adopt the compass offering from ION’s towed streamer positioning solution to suit the underwater vehicle market’s navigation requirements.
Ocean Infinity Invest $2.3 Mln in Kraken
Toronto listed marine technology company Kraken Robotics Inc. announced a non-brokered private placement offering with ocean survey and exploration company Ocean Infinity Ltd. whereby Ocean Infinity will acquire 11,520,000 units in Kraken which, upon completion, will result in Ocean Infinity owning 9.99 percent of Kraken’s issued common shares.The companies began their relationship in 2017 when Ocean Infinity awarded a $3 million contract for Kraken’s AquaPix to be integrated onboard Its HUGIN autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV).It was announced in May this year that Ocean Infinity would
Free Workshops: Earth Observation for Marine Environments
The European funded SpaceWave project is hosting four workshops to identify the current capabilities and opportunities for businesses of using Earth Observation capabilities in marine areas sea fisheries, aquaculture, environmental monitoring and water-level rise and coastal erosion monitoring.The free workshops can be attended in person or online via webinar to learn about opportunities and technologies for using Earth Observation techniques, including, satellites, high altitude platforms, drones, remote sensors, etc.•Sea Fisheries - July 9, 10:30-12:20 a.m. at Harwell, Oxfordshire or online via
Average Sized Dead Zone Expected in the Gulf of Mexico
in groundwater, higher drinking and wastewater treatment costs and wasted fertilizer applications.“The Gulf’s recurring summer hypoxic zone continues to put important habitats and valuable fisheries at risk,” said Steve Thur, Ph.D., director of NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. “Although there has been some progress in reducing nutrients, the overall levels remain high and continue to strain the region’s coastal economies.”NOAA issues a dead zone forecast each year, and refines the models used by the Hypoxia Task Force to set nutrient reduction
New Range of Underwater Connectors
Immersible connectors have to meet a variety of mechanical and chemical constraints. SOURIAU has been active in this market for a very long time, continuously adapting its product range to customer requirements in the field of military submarines, oceanography, geophysics and the oil industry. With SWIM, SOURIAU is launching a new range of connectors designed for new markets.The new SWIM range (Shallow Water IMmersion) is designed for marine applications in depths down to 300 m, which are considered shallow immersion. These connectors are designed for innovative applications like surface drones for
Aquabotix to Support U.S. Navy
UUV Aquabotix, an underwater robotics company with operations in Australia and the U.S., announced its agreement to support the U.S. Navy’s Forward Deployed Energy and Communications Outpost (FDECO) program as a member of the Innovative Undersea Prototype Development Consortium (iUPDC).Historically, unmanned underwater vehicle use has been challenged by limitations in endurance and difficulties in transferring data. FDECO’s publicly-stated mission is to seek to prototype a forward deployed, open, scalable and coordinated undersea energy replenishment, data management, and communications
Meet Kraken’s Tentacle Autonomous LARS
response times found in creatures such as the elephant, octopus and jellyfish—and even the occasional carnivorous plant—we undertook an 18-month research and development program into biomimetic design.Getting into or out of the water is by far the highest-risk operation for any piece of oceanographic equipment. It involves multiple dynamic components, impacted by wave heights, vessel motions, wind direction and currents. Since equipment is delicate and costly, great care must be taken during its launch and recovery.Kraken’s Handling Systems Group, based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
ION, Greensea Ink Joint Marketing Agreement
ION Geophysical Corporation and Greensea Systems, Inc. will work together to provide underwater navigation solutions for manned and unmanned underwater vehicle operators under a new joint marketing agreement.The partnership will aim to accelerate the adoption of ION’s technologies into larger, less cyclic adjacent markets offshore and in the military while providing Greensea with options to integrate ION sensor technology into a growing number of navigation systems. Greensea and ION have already collaborated to integrate ION’s optical magnetic heading sensor into Greensea’s INSpect
Taking UUVs Faster, Further & Deeper
Micro-UUV Technology is FlexibleIn 2015, veterans of the conventional UUV sector set out to change the dynamics of the industry, founding Riptide Autonomous Solutions. Riptide’s first product was the micro-UUV, a new, highly flexible, open source autonomous undersea vehicle that provides a state-of-the-art, low cost solution ideally suited for developers of autonomy and behaviors, power systems, subsea sensors, and other new payloads. The micro-UUV features open hardware and software interfaces giving users a reliable and robust platform to advance technology development. The vehicle design is
Knifefish UUV Completes Sea Acceptance Tests
General Dynamics Mission Systems announced its team has completed all stages of formal Sea Acceptance Testing (SAT) of Knifefish, the U.S. Navy's Surface Mine Countermeasure (MCM) Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (UUV) system.Knifefish is a medium-class MCM UUV intended for deployment from the Navy's Littoral Combat Ship and other Navy vessels. The vehicle is designed to reduce risk to personnel by operating in the minefield as an off-board sensor while the host ship stays outside the minefield boundaries.The recent tests were conducted off the coast of Boston using Navy mine test targets and included
Unmanned Vehicles May Soon Take Up Residency Subsea
not easy to develop this type of system. In 2015, Saab Seaeye demonstrated that it had everything needed to have autonomous behaviour – auto-docking, station keeping, 3D terrain navigation. Eni Cleansea is 10 years ahead of Statoil.”FreedomOne of the latest concepts to emerge on the market is Oceaneering’s Freedom. Oceaneering says that the 3.3m-long vehicle will be able to perform inspection, advanced survey, and light intervention work, under a modular design.This will mean it can be configured for the mission it’s required for.“Freedom will be autonomous or with real-time
Sensors Switched-out at the Bourne Tidal Test Site
Two Nortek Signature 500 acoustic doppler current profilers (ADCP) at the Bourne Tidal Test Site have been removed and replaced with new, freshly charged Signature 1000 systems.The data that is being collected is part of the research being conducted by Soroush Kouhi a PhD candidate at the University of Rhode Island (URI). He and his team of students are working out the details of how best to measure and characterize the water flow resource at tidal turbine sites. The Bourne Tidal Test Site is a great place to learn about how to deploy, calibrate and manage these sensors in the turbulent waters of the
Real-time Oceanographic Equipment Installed at Port Everglades
Real-time tides, currents, water levels and other metrological information at Broward County’s Port Everglades is now readily available to the public thanks to an advanced sensor device developed and installed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).“Boaters and commercial mariners will be able to make safer choices based on the data from this equipment because it gives real-time information and forecasts,” said Port Everglades Deputy Port Director Glenn Wiltshire. “Before this equipment went into service, mariners had to rely on data for Lake Worth in
Deep Ocean Exploration is the 21st Century ‘Space Race’
A new version of the Space Race is happening, with researchers aiming for the deep ocean.Human history has shown us to be a resourceful species, always using the tools available to us to explore, understand and utilize the bounty of resources around us to create a better life. We have come a long way from the stone tools of our ancestors; the tools of today take the form of technology, computers, artificial intelligence and robots which we use very effectively in a number of areas including healthcare, education, transportation, manufacturing and communication. Many of these advances have been made
Canadian Hydrographic Service Grows Its USV Fleet
based SeaRobotics Corporation, are complete hydrographic systems including multibeam echo sounders, support sensors, cast winches, deployment carts and road trailers.The SeaRobotics USVs are being deployed across Canada supported by regional training performed by SeaRobotics. CHS, part of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, has completed the first year of operation and the analysis of the efficiency and cost effectiveness of USV usage. A profile of high-productivity, cost-reducing activities is being developed for both traditional survey tasks and survey tasks in previously denied, and currently unsurveyed
Wave Gliders to Study Arctic and Southern Oceans
Oceanographers will deploy long duration unmanned ocean robots called Wave Gliders as a sensor platform to conduct advanced scientific research in inhospitable and remote regions of the Arctic and Southern Oceans.Using Liquid Robotics’ wave and solar powered Wave Gliders, scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography (Scripps) and the Applied Physics Laboratory of the University of Washington (APL-UW) will obtain real time data and rare insights into the dynamic conditions that drive the world’s weather and climate. This data is critical for scientists to understand and improve
Bathymetric Processing Workflow Simplified
Teledyne CARIS has announced the release of HIPS and SIPS 11.0. This release introduces several improvements making it easier for users to start new projects and process data, as well as an enhanced user experience while interacting with survey data.For users looking for the simplest way to open and process their data, HIPS and SIPS now supports Drag and Drop for raw sensor files. When you Drag and Drop files onto the application, the raw data is automatically processed, georeferenced, and a gridded surface is created.Version 11.0 also offers one-step processing. The new Georeference Bathymetry
MH370 Search Comes to a Close
able to crack one of the world’s greatest aviation mysteries.Flight MH370 disappeared with 239 people on board while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in March 2014. It’s believed someone may have deliberately switched off the plane’s transponder before diverting it over the Indian Ocean.Following an unsuccessful $160 million search effort conducted by Australia, China and Malaysia that was called off in January 2017, Malaysia this year agreed to pay Ocean Infinity, a technology company specializing in collecting high resolution seabed data, up to $70 million if it found the plane
AIRMAR Sensors Offer Optimum Performance for AUVs
The increased demand for maritime systems that can collect information for organizations and governments in sectors such as defense and security, oil and gas, oceanography, and hydrography is driving today’s development of Unmanned Maritime Vessels. Growth in the commercial exploration segment of the market is attributed to the expanding use of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and Autonomous Surface Vehicles (ASVs) in applications such as surveys and seabed mapping, offshore drilling, and pipeline inspection. “We’ve experienced considerable growth in our
Autonomous Vessels: FAU Gets $1.25m for Research
unmanned surface vehicles that serve as “motherships” for unmanned underwater vehicles and aerial drones, thereby enabling multi-vehicle, multi-domain capability that may serve as a mobile coastal monitoring system, as well as training and education of graduate and undergraduate students in ocean engineering. The project will leverage and collaborate with FAU’s ongoing Naval Engineering Education Consortium effort in conjunction with the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City, which involves use of two unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) for adaptive subsurface sensing in
Remote Acoustic Metrology Put to the Test
An acoustic jumper metrology was conducted using the Sonardyne Connect software in conjunction with 4D Nav’s remote survey system in a joint program between 4D Nav and i-Tech Services. The metrology took place as part of remote survey trials during a Subsea 7 project earlier this year in the Gulf of Mexico.Acoustic long baseline (LBL) data and pressure sensor data were collected at a network operations center (NOC) onshore in Houston. The direct interface to the Sonardyne 6G transceiver (ROVNAV) enabled by the Connect software allowed full control of LBL data collection as well as logging of
Scientists to Investigate Human Impacts in the Ocean
An international group of scientists aboard the high-tech research vessel RRS James Cook left Southampton on May 19 for the Porcupine Abyssal Plain – Sustained Observatory (PAP-SO) in the northeast Atlantic Ocean on an expedition that aims to answer fundamental questions about how potential environmental and ecological stressors are influencing the open ocean from surface to seabed.The researchers will track the flow of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the air into the surface ocean, and the eventual fate of this carbon in the ocean depths. They’ll also make detailed measurements of
Valeport Unveils New Probe
A new probe that combines the power of the SWiFT SVP and a turbidity sensor has been launched by British oceanographic and hydrographic instrument specialist Valeport. The new SWiFTplus uses Valeport’s high accuracy sensor technology which incorporates turbidity observations with sound speed, temperature and pressure sensor technology to also provide computed conductivity, salinity and density. This is coupled with Bluetooth connectivity and a rechargeable battery.The handheld profiler, constructed from Titanium, has been designed from the outset with the intention of a seamless workflow and has
MG3 & Satellite Derived Bathymetry
Operation of marine survey vessels in shallow-water coastal environments is a dangerous endeavor. A subsurface obstruction can tear a multi-beam sonar from its tow cable, resulting in loss of the expensive device and potential delay in the expedition. Lost equipment, however, is a minor inconvenience compared to the equally real possibility of the ship running aground in poorly charted waters, endangering the safety of its crew and incurring millions of dollars in damage.For this reason, survey vessel operators invest considerable time and money to minimize the risk involved in each voyage. They are
Reducing Aquaculture Die-offs in Real-time
In 2017, Atlantic Sapphire lost 250 tonnes of salmon in a mass die-off due to hydrogen sulfide poisoning from accumulated organic matter, an all-too-common problem in aquaculture with significant economic losses.Growing salmon in land-based tanks in which water is continuously circulated (Recirculating Aquaculture Systems, RAS) means low waste discharge and high-levels of water re-use, but also sporadic toxic microorganism outbreaks that cause costly mass fish stock die-offs.FluoRAS, Horizon 2020 COLUMBUS and EMFF ECO-AQUA are putting in place aquaculture trials of a fluorometer sensor system
ROV Roundup: Recent Tech Innovations
MTR highlights recent technological advances in the world of remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV).SaabSeaeye: It’s ElectricOperators, from the Gulf of Mexico to offshore Australia, report multi-million-dollar savings as they switch to the new generation of electric work vehicles, and the Saab Seaeye Leopard it touted as the most powerful electric robotic work vehicle of its size in the world.Compared to a 66-ton hydraulic equivalent, its 25-ton complete package brings considerable savings in footprint, mobilization, maintenance and staff.Operators report the Leopard reducing costs by up
US Navy-owned Research Vessel Back in Action
University of Washington and the National Science Foundation, extended the Thompson's life by another 15-20 years. By comparison, it would cost around $200 million to build a new research vessel."The refit of the R/V Thompson provides a continued global capability of support to Navy and national oceanographic research objectives," said Dr. Tom Drake, head of ONR's Ocean Battlespace Sensing Department. "It also enables additional years of service, hundreds of thousands of ocean miles sailed, research opportunities for thousands of scientists, and the training of the next generation
A Record-setting Journey to the Atacama Trench
A Chilean-led expedition to explore the ocean trench off it’s own coast succeeded in launching and recovering a benthic lander named DOV Audacia (Audacity), three times to deeper than 8,000 meters, the last to a record depth of 8,081 meters deep. Using a Mocness Trawl the expedition also collected plankton at a record depth of 5,000 meters. The Atacamex 2018 expedition represent a milestone for marine science in Chile, as researchers there pursue seminal work in deep-sea exploration and research.The hadal zone is the deepest region of the ocean, from 6,000 to 11,000 meters below sea level.
Teledyne: Custom ROV for Saudi Aramco
Teledyne Marine and Research Products Development Company (RPDC) have agreed to collaborate on global commercialization of new technologies developed within Saudi Arabia.“We are pleased to have entered into this cooperation agreement with RPDC,” said Mike Read, President of Teledyne Marine. “It formalizes our support of new technology and collaboration in the offshore oil industry with the belief that it will facilitate new and innovative solutions.”A first success under this agreement is the award of a development contract, which will integrate a unique sensor design developed
Self-compensating Magnetometer for Gavia AUV
OFG self-compensating magnetometer (SCM) added to Teledyne Gavia sensor suiteTeledyne Gavia, manufacturer of the Gavia autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), has completed trials of the AUV self-compensating magnetometer (SCM) from Ocean Floor Geophysics (OFG).Now, following successful integration and field trials in Iceland, the sensor system is being offered as part of the expanding suite of tools available to Gavia AUV users.CEO of OFG, Matthew Kowalczyk elaborated on the principal advantage of the SCM system: “There are many magnetometer technologies available on the market. The requirement
PDI to Supply Centerboard for OSU's New Research Vessel
University (OSU)'s new Regional Class Research Vessel (RCRV).Gulf Island Shipyards is building the vessel under a contract from OSU, with an option for two additional vessels. OSU has engaged with naval architecture and engineering firm Glosten to lead the design contract of the next class of oceangoing research vessels for the National Science Foundation (NSF).These state-of-the-art 193-foot ships will be highly flexible, multimission platforms that maximize energy efficient design concepts. The first vessel will be built in Houma, La., and will be delivered to OSU in the fourth quarter of
MacArtney: Custom EMO Multiplexer
Upgrading the subsea survey and camera interfaces of an ROV represents the primary purpose of the MUX having been deployed in Singapore. The requirements for reliable transmission of large amounts of data and video from ROVs, ROTVs, ocean observatories and instrumentation packages are contantly being sharpened. Gathering high-quality data from the deep sea is an im¬mense undertaking, which calls for ensuring that multiple sensor and equipment types work in perfect unison and that all data are efficiently transmitted to the surface for analysis. Custom ROV MUX System A custom
