Posted by Eric Haun April 29, 2016

Deep Ocean Launches Phantom FlyImager

Phantom FlyImager (Image: Deep Ocean Engineering)
Phantom FlyImager (Image: Deep Ocean Engineering)

Deep Ocean Engineering, Inc. will introduce its newest underwater vehicle, the Deep Ocean Phantom FlyImager, the company announced at the Oceanology International 2016 event in London.

This underwater drone is a hybrid system, co-developed with EdgeTech, that allows the user to utilize the EdgeTech 4125 side scan sonar system, combined with the functionality of the Phantom T5 ROV underwater drone.

According to Deep Ocean Engineering , what makes this new system unique is that the side scan sonar system can be pulled behind a powered surface vessel as a towfish while scanning using “wings” that provide stability and constant depth control. This side scan system provides long range acoustic imaging in the water column to find targets. Once the target is identified, the “wings” are retracted and the underwater drone is converted from a towfish to a free flying ROV for close up optical imaging of the target.

The Phantom FlyImager hybrid drone is designed to be converted to an ROV from a side scan system to become capable of taking immediate action based on real-time data retrieved and analyzed using the side scan sonar by utilizing a single deployed vessel, thereby eliminating the need to deploy a passive side scan sonar unit and separate ROV.