MTR 100: Sonardyne International Ltd.

8280 Willow Drive Place North,
Houston, TX, USA 77070
T: +1 281 890 2120
E: [email protected]
http://www.sonardyne.com
CEO/President: John Ramsden
Engineering Director: Simon Partridge
Number Of Employees: 310

Not content with remaining known as a world-class manufacturer of underwater acoustics, the last few years has seen UK-based Sonardyne International transform its business into a 300 people-strong organization able to offer inertial navigation, sonar imaging and wireless communication technologies all under one roof.

The Company
At Sonardyne, creating innovative, low risk solutions that solve clients’ subsea challenges is the driving force behind this independent design and manufacturing company. Now in its 43rd year of business, Sonardyne has a portfolio of acoustic and non-acoustic technologies ranging from autonomous monitoring subsea sensors to high resolution imaging sonars for AUVs.
A vertically integrated company with in-house research, design, manufacturing, testing, marketing, distribution and support, Sonardyne is geared to quickly respond to its clients’ needs. In 2014, Sonardyne opened the doors of its new multi-million dollar UK manufacturing facility, home to its expanded Production, Engineering, Testing, Quality and Repair departments. With these significantly increased manufacturing capabilities, Sonardyne has invested to ensure it has the best infrastructure to supports its clients and future growth.  

The Tech
Sonardyne’s technology portfolio covers four categories:
•    Acoustic positioning – Sonardyne’s 6G USBL, LBL and LUSBL systems are operational in every deepwater development, helping navigate subsea vehicles, install subsea structures and position surface vessels. 6G systems use ultra-wide bandwidth acoustic signals to achieve exceptional subsea navigation, communications and positioning performance. In 2014, its capabilities were recognized with a prestigious international award for technological innovation.
•    Inertial Navigation – This offers contrasting and complementary characteristics to acoustic and satellite positioning. The seamless integration of these produces a single solution offering a continuous position output with no drift. Sonardyne INS systems tailored for DP reference and subsea vehicle positioning deliver greater overall precision and accuracy than acoustics, GPS/GNSS or inertial alone.
•    Wireless Communications – Sonardyne is renowned for reliable through-water acoustic and high speed optical communications. With this, users can harvest data from seafloor sensor nodes using unmanned surface vehicles, reducing the cost and risk associated with deploying conventional ships.
•    Sonar Imaging – Sonardyne sonar imaging expertise protects vulnerable waterside facilities and vessels from the threat of attack, enables AUVs such as the Bluefin-12 to gather pixel-perfect seabed images, monitors a billion cubic feet of water for oil leaks and navigates hazards for vessels.
 

(As published in the July/Aug 2014 edition of Marine Technology Reporter - http://www.marinetechnologynews.com/Magazine)