Reader Feedback: Lander Lab #4 - Underwater Releases

We received some terrific comments and experiences on the last Lander Lab Underwater Releases.1. Patrick Lahey, Triton Submarines, on FrangiboltsFrangibolts.Patrick Lahey, Triton Submarines (Sebastian, Florida), spoke of their use of Frangibolts for an emergency drop weight release in their hadal class submersible Triton 38000/2 (s/n 001 named DSV Limiting Factor). The EBAD Frangibolt® Actuator is a simple and effective way to support and release loads up to 20,000 lb.

Lander Lab #5: Lithium Polymer Batteries

A column about the Technologies, Strategies, and Use of Ocean LandersLithium-Polymer batteries offer a safe and robust option for portable electrical power. As we collectively have gained experience, application parameters have been refined, defined and improved. Though ubiquitous in everyday life, their acceptance has not quite outrun a troubled past.LiPos have now flown on crewed Space-X spacecraft and are installed on the International Space Station.

Offshore Wind: CrossWind Taps KBR for Energy Storage Project

KBR has won a contract to provide engineering services for an offshore energy storage project for CrossWind, a joint venture (JV) between Shell and Dutch utility company, Eneco.KBR will perform a front-end engineering design of the baseload power hub (BLPH) for the Hollandse Kust (north) wind farm located offshore the Netherlands."KBR and Shell will design and develop facilities that integrate lithium-ion battery storage and green hydrogen electrolysis production at megawatt scale…

Kraken Robotics Secures $14M Subsea Battery Order

Kraken Robotics has received an initial order for subsea batteries valued at $14 million. The company said the order included a significant advance payment. Deliveries will occur in 2023, Kraken said, without sharing the identity of the client."Kraken’s SeaPower 6000-meter rated pressure tolerant batteries are based on  Kraken’s unique pressure tolerant gel encapsulation technology for  lithium polymer batteries," Kraken said.

Kraken Wins Subsea Battery Order from AUV Manufacturer

Canada-based maritime robotics firm Kraken Robotics has secured an order for subsea batteries from a manufacturer of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). "The order is valued at $1.1 million and is a follow on from a $4.8 million order from the same customer earlier this year. For confidentiality reasons, we cannot disclose the customer’s name. Delivery is expected in Q4," Kraken Robotics said.Kraken’s…

Leidos Developing New Generation of Underwater Drones

U.S. tech giant Leidos is developing several new unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) that will feature advanced artificial intelligence (AI), sensing capabilities and more.These vessels, along with Leidos-developed unmanned surface vessels (USVs) Seahawk and Sea Hunter, can perform a growing number of jobs without hazarding human divers. They will feature technology to support military and commercial activities alike.Leidos noted that U.S.

AutoNaut Completes a 16-week, 4,000-mile Mission on the Atlantic continental shelf break

AutoNaut ‘Oban’ arrives quietly into Penzance after waiting out Storm Arwen off Mount’s Bay. The 115-day voyage covered 4,000 nautical miles gathering data on the Atlantic shelf break from the Hebrides to Cornwall.A proving trial for ‘AutoNaut for Extreme Environments’ in autumn 2021 saw the 5m uncrewed surface vessel (USV) spend 16 weeks at sea and cover over 4,000 nautical miles on the continental shelf break in the Atlantic.

Case Study: Autonaut Put to the Test

‘AutoNaut completes a 16-week, 4,000-mile mission gathering PAM, ADCP, CTD, and wave data on the Atlantic continental shelf break.’  AutoNaut ‘Oban’ arrives quietly into Penzance after waiting out Storm Arwen off Mount’s Bay. The 115-day voyage covered 4,000 nautical miles gathering data on the Atlantic shelf break from the Hebrides to Cornwall.A proving trial for ‘AutoNaut for Extreme Environments’ in autumn 2021 saw the 5m uncrewed surface vessel (USV) spend 16 weeks at sea and cover over 4…

Solar-powered Autonomous Vessel Crosses the Atlantic

An uncrewed surface vessel (USV) is believed to be the first to cross the Atlantic Ocean using only solar power.The autonomous robotic boat—dubbed Mahi Two—left the coast of Spain in September 2021 and made landfall in Martinique, in the French Lesser Antilles, six months later, after more than 4,300 nautical miles at sea.Project Mahi started as many success stories do, in the founder’s garage. Pieter-Jan Note assembled six friends from a variety of engineering backgrounds.

CGG Delivers New Multi-Client Screening Study

CGG has released a new GeoVerse Lithium Brine Screening study to support the search for new sources of this critical energy transition element. The global study, supported by industry funding and available for license, provides a data-rich screening tool to enable explorers, operators, investors and extraction technology companies to discover, evaluate and compare lithium brine opportunities.Dechun Lin…

Autonomy: Sun, Sail & Subsea – Not a Holiday, but a Hybrid UxV Platform

Ten years ago, Ocean Aero’s unique hybrid sailboat-submarine was a novel idea being developed in a San Diego garage. Today, the company has a growing fleet of vehicles on the water and a $14 million funding injection to take it the next level. Elaine Maslin reports.Earlier this year, a great illustration of the ongoing adoption of marine autonomous systems was made through the International Maritime Exercise (IMX) 2022…

Kraken Scores a Pair of Contract Wins

Kraken Robotics Inc. (TSX-V: PNG, OTCQB: KRKNF) announced an order for 1,000-meter rated AquaPix MINSAS 60 sonar from a new South Korean customer for use in a military application. The order is valued at $300,000 and will be delivered in 2022. Due to customer confidentiality, Kraken cannot provide more details at this time.Kraken’s AquaPix MINSAS is an off the shelf configurable SAS which replaces high end sidescan systems at an affordable price…

Subsea Vehicles: Diving into the Autosub Program

In our last MTR, to mark 25 years of the UK’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC) working with AUVs, we talked with Dr. Maaten Furlong, Head of the Marine Autonomous & Robotic Systems Group at NOC, about the organization’s history and future plans. Now we take a deep dive into the Autosub program.The UK’s National Oceanography Center (NOC) has a long history, going back to the National Institute of Oceanography…

Fugro Orders First-of-Its-Kind XL Class USV for North Sea Operations

Dutch geodata firm Fugro has ordered an uncrewed surface vessel of SEA-KIT XL Class for future North Sea operations. According to USV maker SEA-KIT, the 18-meter USV, to be named Blue Eclipse, will be the first of its kind, and will be constructed at SEA-KIT’s expanding UK production facility on the Essex coast."Following the successful delivery and award-winning operations of the 12m vessels built so far for Fugro…

EC-OG's Subsea Battery For "World-first" Autonomous Offshore Power Trials in Hawaii

Aberdeen-based subsea battery developer EC-OG has made the first commercial delivery of its Halo subsea battery storage system. The lithium-ion-based device will be part of "a world-first autonomous offshore power sea trial" in Q1 2022 at the US Navy Wave Energy Test Site, off the coast of the Hawaiian island of Oahu.EC-OG’s Halo system will be integrated into the sea trial in which Columbia Power Technologies, Inc.

Sourcing Seismic with Subsea Swarms

Swarm behavior of underwater vehicles has long been on the wish list. Couple that with collecting seismic data and you have an interesting challenge. The seismic industry has a track record for innovation – Blue Ocean Seismic Services is taking on the latest challenge. Seismic data acquisition isn’t perhaps at the top of many lists when it comes to discussing innovation in the marine sector. Yet it’s been an area that’s seen leaps and bounds in innovation…

Bob Black Joins EC-OG Board

EC-OG, developer of energy management and storage technologies for the energy industry, has appointed Bob Black as a non-executive director on its Board. He will act as the Board representative of EC-OG’s investors Par Equity.Bob has 30 years of experience across the international oil and gas and defense industries, and was previously CEO of unmanned maritime systems software solutions provider, SeeByte.

VideoRay Unveils New Mission Specialist Accessories

VideoRay has released new battery options for powering and operating MISSION SPECIALIST systems. VideoRay's surface Portable Power Supply can replace generators with no noise, fumes, or burdensome ventilation requirements. Users can also move the ROV's power source to the submersible. Submersible Vehicle Batteries allow small-diameter, low-drag Communication tethers that allow operations in stronger…

ROBOTICS: Meet Your New Offshore Robotic Co-workers; Charles, Eddie, ANYmal & Spot

Within the last 12 months, a series of significant steps have been made in the world of offshore robotics; a number of legged and tracked robots made their first steps onto and around offshore facilities in Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway and the US. For operators, it’s a big leap to have these things on facilities. For technology developers, it’s a big step towards future potential adoption offshore.In August last year (2020)…

Sonardyne BlueComm to Live Stream Ocean Exploration

The Triton 7500/3 series submersible, reported to be the world’s deepest diving acrylic hulled manned submersible, will be outfitted with Sonardyne’s BlueComm optical communications link to enable live streaming of deep ocean expeditions.The acrylic hulled submersible is designed to carry three people down to 2,286 m water depth, and will operate from the research vessel REV Ocean, being built now…