Sonardyne reveals latest seabed-to-shore subsea technologies
Underwater technology provider Sonardyne International Ltd. has announced important new additions to its 2020 product line-up, all designed to play a role in delivering usersÂ’ data from the seabed to the shore.
Courtesy Sonardyne
With a focus on compact yet highly capable unmanned and vessel instruments, Sonardyne has unveiled SPRINT-Nav Mini, the most compact guidance and control solution in the market, as well as ADCP functionality for its Syrinx Doppler velocity log (DVL) and a smaller, lighter version of its popular Gyro USBL transceiver.
SPRINT-Nav Mini provides guidance and control outputs – orientation, velocity, altitude and depth – in a single instrument that weighs just 0.7 kg in water for the 300 m-rated version. By tightly fusing the information from each of its sensors, SPRINT-Nav Mini provides precise, robust and fixed frequency outputs, independent of each individual sensor’s update rates. In replacing the need for three separate instruments; AHRS, DVL and pressure sensors – customers will benefit from reduced cost, less cabling and additional vehicle payload capacity.
SPRINT-Nav Mini comes in a highly compact 215 mm-high and 149 mm-diameter housing and is also available in a 4,000 m-rated titanium unit of the same size making it ideal for smaller remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).
Sonardyne is also introducing its second-generation Gyro USBL. It combines the vessel heading, pitch and roll data that’s critical to Ultra-Short BaseLine (USBL) system performance, with an acoustic transceiver – all in one housing. However, using the experience it has gained from designing complex and compact sensor assemblies, the new Gyro USBL is now 30% shorter and 40% lighter. That means more vessels, including small vessels of opportunity and unmanned surface vessels, can get the best performance from their USBL using an even easier to handle and install instrument.
Gyro USBL is available in two performance levels; a cost-effective version for standard USBL operations and “plus” for long layback tracking and touch-down monitoring. Both versions will be delivered pre-calibrated, in-water, enabling users to get straight to work.
Finally, Sonardyne has also increased the functionality of its Syrinx 600 kHz DVL. Specifically, Syrinx now has optional acoustic current Doppler profiling (ADCP) capability, as well as dual DVL/ADCP operations, without compromising bottom track. The ADCP data can be viewed and analysed using the new Echo Observer software.
When using SPRINT-Nav, which comes with a tightly coupled Syrinx DVL built-in, the addition of ADCP functionality really comes into its own. Users can get absolute profile velocities in the most challenging conditions while maintaining SPRINT-Nav’s class-leading navigation performance. When bottom track is not available, inertial velocities from SPRINT are used by Syrinx to compensate the ADCP water column velocities for vehicle motion. That means users get absolute water velocities through the local water column, even when they have no DVL bottom track.
“Our customers across the energy, defence and civil markets want to do ever more in the ocean space, increasingly through remote operations,” says Graham Brown, Sonardyne International’s Managing Director. “We’ve been supporting them every step of the way, from seabed to shore, with smaller and more capable systems. Our latest products and capabilities – which we had intended to demonstrate this week in London at Oceanology - will further support their goals across an even wider range of assets, from smaller ROVs to small manned and unmanned vessels of opportunity.”
Following the postponement of Oceanology International 2020 in London from 17th-19th march to 1st-3rd December, Sonardyne is bringing its show news online. Throughout this week, the company will be posting content across its social media channels.
COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak
Sonardyne International Ltd and its overseas operating subsidiaries, are closely monitoring and taking all appropriate precautions relating to the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak, according to the current advice for each of the regions it operates in. At this time, it is continuing to operate normally – as far as practically possible. This includes maintaining manufacturing output and offshore field support. Restrictions on non-essential business travel have been introduced.
To reduce the risk of exposure to its staff and visitors, they have introduced visitor screening to be completed prior to travel to its UK locations.
Sonardyne Global Offices status:
UK Headquarters – Open as usual
UK Aberdeen – Open as usual
UK Plymouth – Open as usual
UK Sherborne – Open as usual
Singapore – Open as usual
Houston – Open as usual
Brazil – Open as usual