NuWaves Engineering, a veteran-owned small business providing advanced radio frequency (RF) and microwave solutions, announced today that the company has been selected by the U.S. Navy for a Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase I award for the INnovative TowEd aRray Cable mOdeM (INTERCOM).

The INTERCOM program seeks to develop a high-bandwidth modem for next-generation towed arrays that are utilised by submarines to increase mission capability and provide improved acoustic capability with sensors such as multi-axis accelerometers capable of providing instantaneous Left and Right ambiguity resolution and increased array bandwidth. Such arrays may also be utilised by unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs).

The 6-month Phase I project will involve research and development activities needed to set the design requirements for a miniature high-bandwidth communications module that will be fully developed and delivered to the U.S. Navy during Phase II.

“NuWaves looks forward to working with the Navy to advance the state of the art in towed array capabilities with the INTERCOM program,” said Jeff Wells, President and CEO of NuWaves Engineering. “Our team is excited to deliver an innovative and high-performance solution in support of the Warfighter.”

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SCALABLE Network Technologies, a developer of multi-domain network design and optimization tools, has announced that it has demonstrated its high-fidelity undersea communications and networking simulation/emulation tool developed for the U.S. Navy’s Forward Deployed Energy and Communications Outpost (FDECO) program.

Multiple mission scenarios involving shore command centers, ships, submarines, unmanned air and undersea vehicles (UAVs/UUVs) and forward deployed outposts were developed and executed in the SCALABLE simulation/emulation environment to demonstrate the benefits of establishing undersea energy and communications nodes. Multiple communications methods and protocols were explored in each scenario, including fiber optics, Satellite Communications (SATCOM), Very Low Frequency (VLF) propagation, Line-of-Sight Radio Frequency (RF), Acoustic, Free Space Optical and “Data Ferring” using UUVs/UAVs, thus demonstrating SCALABLE’s ability to conduct high-fidelity communications and networking modeling and simulation across all physical domains (undersea to space).

The FDECO Integrated Network Simulator (FINS) developed by SCALABLE provides high-fidelity models of outpost and vehicle energy management, as well as, all necessary communications between ashore command centers, afloat commanders and individual ships and submarines operating in challenging environments where normal communications methods have been denied or degraded.

FINS includes a high resolution three-dimensional visualization of vehicle operations and communications events to assist planners and operators in understanding the dynamics of mission execution and data transfers. FINS can also be interfaced with other simulations and live components to provide a comprehensive Live Virtual Constructive (LVC) environment for evaluating undersea energy, sensor, and communications solutions.

“Unmanned Underwater Vehicles are performing more and more missions in support of US Navy worldwide operations, and FINS enables requirements, acquisition, and operational communities to evaluate and identify optimal means of planning, executing and supporting those missions,” stated Jeff Hoyle, SCALABLE’s Vice President of Federal Programs.

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Okeanus Science & Technology has announced that it has delivered a self-contained, Rapid Mobilization ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) Launch & Recovery System to Phoenix International Holdings.

The fully integrated system, designed and built to launch and recover a free-flying ROV, contains a winch / levelwind assembly, self-erecting A-Frame, docking head / over-boarding sheave assembly and electro-hydraulic power unit, all mounted to a single skid. This innovative design allows the entire system to be placed into an ISO flat rack for ease of transport and deployment. To further facilitate rapid mobilization, the ROV is stored on the skid assembly during transport.

The winch assembly provides a full drum safe working load of 14,678 N (1,467 Kg, 3,300 lbs.) at a full drum line speed of 0.50 m/s (30 mpm,100 fpm). The winch drum is capable of holding 939 meters (3,080 ft.) of 26 mm (1.03 in.) outside diameter umbilical. The system A-Frame provides a safe working load luffing / overboard of 14,678 N (1,467 Kg, 3,300 lbs.), an over-boarding reach of 3,023 mm (119 in.) and width between legs of 1,930 mm (76 in.). The system docking head provides a cushion / latch assembly to secure the ROV and features swing in-out and rotate capability for safe launch-recovery.

The entire handling system, which was designed and built in accordance with ABS Rules for Building and Classing Underwater Vehicles, Systems and Hyperbaric Facilities (2017), is powered by an Okeanus-supplied 18 kW (25 HP) electro-hydraulic power unit which is also stored on the skid assembly during transport.

Don Brockett, Vice President of Okeanus, said: “We are pleased to have been selected by Phoenix International to provide such a compact, comprehensive free-flying ROV launch and recovery system enabling Phoenix to enhance their worldwide ROV services by providing a system conducive to immediate deployment via air or ocean transport. Our design greatly streamlines the logistics of transporting a complete ROV package to optimize mobility and productivity”. Brockett also stated “Our manufacturing and engineering capabilities once again have combined to enable Okeanus to provide a cost-effective system in accordance with our customer’s specifications.”

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Subsea Commercial Services (SCS) has announced the release of its new range of High Definition IP Underwater Cameras. The cameras are designed for subsea and oceanographic applications such as ROVs (remotely operated vehicles) and AUVs (autonomous underwater vehicles).

The anodised aluminium-housed IPCam and FIPCam cameras are rated to 3000m as standard with options to 1000m and 250m versions available. Both units operate at 1080p, require 10/100 Mbps, offer good low light performance and are available with a dedicated GUI enabling control of brightness, saturation, hue, stills capture, recording to laptop and the control of up to eight cameras simultaneously.

The IPCam is an 18x optical zoom and focus unit with 0.01 Lux capability that weighs under 1kg in water, while the FIPCam is an extremely compact (69mm x 69mm ex-connector) fixed focus unit that is just over 300g in water. The FIPCam is also available as a 5 megapixel unit for enhanced picture quality.

“The IPCam and FIPCam represent SCS’ first own brand products. The pricing, size and performance of the units mean they cover a lot of ground in terms of variety of underwater vehicle they can be mounted to and the sectors they will be deployed in. We feel the complete package will be of interest not only to our traditional subsea and marine renewable clients but also to those involved in scientific research and aquaculture projects,” said Callum Magee, Managing Director of SCS.

The ethernet based cameras are the first in a series of new products that SCS will be bringing to market for the global subsea, ROV and oceanographic industries.

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DSIT Solutions has announced that the U.S. Navy’s Stiletto Maritime Demonstration Program invited the company to demonstrate its Underwater Security Systems at a US Navy base. The Stiletto program, sponsored by the US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Rapid Reaction Technology Office, coordinated and executed the demonstration. The capability demonstration was specifically aimed at Counter Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) operations.

For the demonstration, DSIT deployed its AquaShield long range Diver Detection Sonar (DDS) and PointShield Portable Diver Detection Sonar (PDDS) off a pier at a US Navy base. The systems were calibrated by the company to support automatic detection, tracking, classification and alert of various underwater threats including UUVs and divers. During the four-day demonstration, DSIT’s systems successfully monitored the underwater surroundings and alerted when UUVs penetrated the guarded zone. The capability demonstration included various types and sizes of UUVs approaching DSIT’s systems from different angles and at changing diving altitudes.

Dan Ben-Dov, DSIT’S Vice President for Sales and Marketing, said: “We are very satisfied from the performance demonstrated by our systems in this capability demonstration and continue to discuss DSIT’s participation in different US Navy programs.”

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General Dynamics Mission Systems has announced that it has successfully 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. The tests were conducted off the coast of Boston using Navy mine test targets and included a variety of undersea, MCM operational scenarios in multiple simulated mine fields. Following the successful SAT, the Knifefish system will begin Developmental Tests and Operational Assessment evaluations.

“The successful sea acceptance tests are the result of strong collaboration and teamwork between the General Dynamics and U.S. Navy Knifefish team,” said Carlo Zaffanella, a vice president and general manager of General Dynamics Mission Systems. “These tests prove the Knifefish system can detect, classify and identify undersea mines in high-clutter environments.”

The General Dynamics Knifefish team also successfully completed initial Navy Fleet operator training as part of the transition into the next stage of testing. The training provided the operators with an opportunity to become familiarized with the Knifefish system and become proficient at operating and maintaining the system during the upcoming Developmental Test and Operational Assessment.

Knifefish is a medium-class MCM UUV intended for deployment from the Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship and other Navy vessels. Knifefish will reduce risk to personnel by operating in the minefield as an off-board sensor while the host ship stays outside the minefield boundaries.

General Dynamics Mission Systems is the prime contractor for the Knifefish program. The company designed the tactical UUV using an open architecture concept that can be quickly and efficiently modified to accommodate a wide range of missions. The Knifefish UUV is based on the General Dynamics Bluefin Robotics Bluefin-21 deep-water Autonomous Undersea Vehicle.

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Aquam Corporation, a provider of risk mitigation technologies for water and energy transmission and distribution assets, has announced the launch of Amplus, an advanced remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for use in pressurized water, wastewater, and industrial pipe applications. Amplus will make its international debut at the American Water Works Association ACE18 conference and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in Las Vegas.

Amplus’ ROV technology allows Aquam to provide their customers with remaining pipeline lifespan through high resolution imagery and pinpoint accurate real-time data, enabling customers to develop informed maintenance and replacement strategies that optimize limited financial budgets. Amplus is set to be deployed by Aquam service providers with commercial, residential, utility, and municipal customers in the US and UK.

“Data-driven information is the future of infrastructure management and the key to preventing mainline bursts. With a minimal incision, we’re able to obtain real-time data on leaks, flow, blockage, corrosion, and pipe thickness – critical information to developing and executing a cost-effective rehabilitation plan,” said Cameron Manners, Aquam’s Chief Technology Officer. “Adding this cutting-edge technology to our pipe diagnostics offerings ensures our customers have the necessary data to extend budget dollars and spend smarter.”

As technology improves and reduces in size, the opportunities for adopting remotely operated vehicles and robotics are rising; ROVs have become increasingly common in industries ranging from ocean and space exploration, to surgery, telecommunications, resource extraction and infrastructure maintenance.

The ROV utilizes both forward and reversing high definition cameras, ultrasonic scanners and acoustic hydrophone sensors for collecting and transmitting comprehensive and high-resolution analysis of pipelines in real-time. Deployed through access points as small as 100mm (4″), Amplus has the ability to crawl through pipelines regardless of flow or pressure.

Key features of Amplus include:

• Lifespan analysis
• Assessment capability of 2,000m (6,560′) in one deployment
• Comprehensive condition assessment data
• Forward and reversing high definition camera systems
• 1,000 (3,280′) cable tether
• Ultrasonic scanning head
• Hydrophone
• 512hz sonde
• Two-motor axle mechanisms
• Two-motor drive mechanisms
• Stainless steel launch tube mechanism
• Fully programmable using patented Amplus software

“The versatility of Amplus will change the way that the industry approaches infrastructure management,” said Dan Squiller, CEO, Aquam. “Our products bring sustainable solutions to infrastructure challenges, and with Amplus we’re not only able to empower our customers to take control of their future, but we’ve also provided them with the tools to develop an expedient solution saving them substantial emergency funds in the process. The addition of Amplus into Aquam’s portfolio represents an industry breakthrough as we bring the most innovative and advanced solutions to our customers.”

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Coda Octopus has announced the release of Version 8 of Underwater Survey Explorer (USE), the company’s software package for recording, displaying, processing and reporting on real time 3D sonar data collected by ROVs (remotely operated vehicles), AUVs (autonomous underwater vehicles) and other vessels. This is a major upgrade and has new features designed to deliver significant new capability to Coda Octopus’ real time 3D range of sonars.

Auto Pan & Tilt Tracking – uses the Coda Octopus Integrated Pan & Tilt (IPT) to automatically maintain a designated fixed point within the center of the real-time 3D data display screen, as the vessel or ROV then moves around it.

Moving Object Auto Tracking – uses the IPT combined with industry standard NMEA GGA Geo-referenced positional data strings that manipulate IPT control to maintain moving or static objects in the centre of the sonar viewing volume such as an ROV or a diver.

IPT Joystick Control – allows joystick control with input via a USB connected game controller, UDP or serial connection, to operate and control the position of the IPT in real-time.

Combined with the CodaOctopus Construction Monitoring Software (CMS), the Auto Tracking and IPT Joystick Control options will further enhance and simplify breakwater construction operations, enabling the operator to use existing joystick controls to move the IPT, and to use the software and IPT to maintain the image of the block in the center of the 3D display.

Auto Compensation of the IPT for vessel roll/pitch – enables the operator to program horizontal limits on movement, such that a designated horizontal area is always maintained within the center of the real-time 3D field of view, regardless of the vessel’s pitch and roll. This will enable customers to automatically maintain Touch Down Points (TDP) within the center of the real-time 3D data window, freeing up the operator to concentrate on additional tasks.

Within all of the above new features, the operator can set limits on IPT movement, preventing any inadvertent damage to the equipment. Our Integrated Single Axis Rotator (ISAR) is also fully supported though limited to tracking in the deployed axis (Pan or Tilt).

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Researchers from the Australian Institute of Marine Science have announced that they have trialled unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) at sea, resulting in the development of new monitoring techniques for the Great Barrier Reef.

The Australian Institute of Marine Science’ technology development and engineering team have spent two weeks at sea trialling a seafaring robot which can lock-on to an underwater flight path via semi-autonomous navigation. The modified Blue ROV2 has the potential to lock-on and follow a transect line across a reef, which is usually done by a team of divers, to monitor the health of a reef.

AIMS Technology Transformation leader Melanie Olsen said her team put a hyperspectral camera onto a Blue ROV2 with a dive capability of 100m. The hyperspectral camera captures more than 270 bands of colour information too complex to visualise by the naked eye and provides the capability to survey the reef at richer multifaceted levels including mapping of the ocean floor, depth of the water, identifying bleached corals, and more.

“This is the first time a hyperspectral camera has been trialled underwater on our ROVs,” Olsen said. “We did some revolutionary stuff during this trial, we also flew the 900g hyperspectral camera under our large aerial drone off our research vessel (RV) Cape Ferguson, over a coral transect on John Brewer Reef, which is one of our long term monitoring sites.”

“This is also the first time we have flown ROVs and drones simultaneously during night-time missions. We want to remain globally competitive and so we are boosting our technological capabilities. Robotics helps us to monitor larger and new sections of the reef in areas that would otherwise be dangerous to divers.”

“These robots will soon be helping to free up our marine science researchers to do the important work of looking at how to help support these reefs. It will allow for the acceleration of data collection and processing. This two-week trial showed we can perform missions at night, and we can go deeper. We can monitor aspects of coral reefs we have not been able to before.”

Ms Olsen said these robots meant the reef could also be monitored when it is unsafe to put a diver in the water because of crocodiles, marine stingers or sharks.

AIMS is working in partnership with the Queensland University of Technology to leverage Australian expertise in shallow water marine robotics.

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Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has announced that its undergraduate students are building an autonomous underwater robot that could help reduce the threat posed by an invasive species of fish that, unchecked by natural predators, threatens the well-being of coral reefs and other marine ecosystems in Coastal U.S. and Caribbean waters, including commercially and recreationally important native fish the region depends on.

In a multi-year effort launched last fall, WPI student teams are developing a robot designed to autonomously hunt for and harvest lionfish. The project’s goal is to reduce the impact of the invasive species on marine ecosystems from the Caribbean up to the coasts of Florida and Georgia. Since the fish is a pricey delicacy, the robot also could provide a new source of income for local fishermen.

The first student project team, completing its MQP (Major Qualifying Project), worked this past academic year to develop several systems that will enable the submersible robot to distinguish lionfish from other species and spear them. The robot could offer fishermen, who normally scuba dive to spear their catch, a more efficient and safe way to harvest the fish, which have poisonous spines that are painful to touch.

A graduation requirement for every WPI student, MQPs are team-based design or research projects that give students professional-level experience. The 2017-18 project team consisted of William Godsey, Brandon Kelly, Joseph Lombardi, Nikolay Uvarov, and Andrey Yuzvik, all members of the Class of 2018 who majored in robotics engineering. The faculty advisors were Kenneth Stafford, teaching professor and director of the university’s Robotics Resource Center; Bradley Miller, associate director of the Robotics Resource Center; and Craig Putnam, senior instructor in computer science and associate director of WPI’s Robotics Engineering Program.

“There are economic and environmental benefits to this, and the fish are delicious,” said Kelly, who focused on the robot’s computer vision system. “I’ve seen the massive devastation caused by these fish and it really made me want to work on this project. We felt like we could create some change in the world.”

Lionfish, a colorful aquarium fish native to the South Pacific and Indian oceans, have become a serious problem in the Caribbean and western Atlantic. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) calls them the “poster child for invasive species.” With no predators outside of their native waters, the population is expanding at an astonishing rate, putting additional stress on coral reefs already struggling from the effects of climate change, pollution, and overfishing.

Lionfish also are disrupting native fish populations that are commercially, recreationally, and ecologically important to the region. According to the Ocean Support Foundation, the fish, which have stomachs that can expand up to 30 times its normal volume as they eat, can reduce juvenile fish populations on a reef by nearly 90 percent in as little as five weeks. Lionfish have been found with more 50 species of juvenile fish in their stomachs.

Harvesting the fish could be an economic boon to the region, since they can fetch up to $20 per pound, making them not only a food source for fishermen but a solid source of income, as well.

There are commercial robots that could be used to harvest lionfish, but they must be directed by an operator connected to the robot by a tether, which could damage fragile reefs. The WPI robot would be untethered and would hunt for fish on its own, without human direction. Once it recognizes a lionfish, it would change course to intercept it and spear it. The buoyant spear tip would detach and float the fish to the surface to be collected. A fisherman could use multiple robots to maximize his catch.

“The goal is to be able to toss the robot over the side of a boat and have it go down to the reef, plot out a course, and begin its search,” said Putnam. “It needs to set up a search pattern and fly along the reef, and not run into it, while looking for the lionfish. The idea is that the robots could be part of the environmental solution.”

The past year’s MQP team members used machine learning, advanced computer vision libraries, neural network software, and computer vision models to develop the robot’s computer vision system, which is the key to distinguishing lionfish from the other fish and aquatic species in the area. They showed the system thousands of images of lionfish of different colors, taken from different angles and in different lighting conditions, to train it to recognize a lionfish with greater than 95 percent accuracy. “The students also showed the system pictures of what it absolutely must not aim at — namely divers!” Putnam said.

The team also developed the spearing and buoyancy compensation systems. The robot has a revolving carousel, not unlike the cylinder of a revolver, that holds eight detachable spear tips. A motorized mechanism connects to a metal shaft that thrusts the spear tips into the fish. As the shaft retracts, leaving the boutant spear tip embedded in the fish, the carousel turns to move the next spear tip into position. As the spear tips are used, the robot loses buoyancy. To compensate, the researchers built a watertight, air-filled chamber that enlarges slightly after each spearing to displace more water and equalize the robot’s bouyancy.

The team also designed a water-tight chamber to protect the robot’s motherboard and electronics from the salt water, which is highly corrosive. “In many ways, this was the hardest part of the project,” said Godsey, who worked on the system’s buoyancy and electronics chambers, along with its shooting mechanism. “Just because something is waterproof doesn’t mean it will work in salt water, which is an incredibly corrosive substance.”

The robot is being designed to attach to a commercially available, autonomous submersible robot.

During the 2018-19 academic year, a second MQP team will focus on the robot’s global navigation system, which will enable it to autonomously establish and navigate a three-dimensional search grid as it seeks lionfish.

“This is a real-world problem and the students attacked it,” Stafford said. “WPI’s responsibility is to develop students with the confidence and competence to take on global problems. We are giving them the tools to attack these problems.”

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Saab Seaeye has announced that salmon producer Huon Aquaculture has boosted investment in underwater robotic technology by doubling their fleet of Saab Seaeye Falcon ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles) to four vehicles. The two new Falcons will join the fleet to inspect nets, rigging and moorings at Huon’s aquaculture pens, which are positioned in areas of strong current and rough water favoured for salmon farming as it mimics their natural habitat.

Designed for such strong currents and turbulent waters, the Falcon ROV can remain steady under robust conditions whilst undertaking delicate or rugged tasks and manoeuvre with precision as needed. The Falcon’s iCON behaviour-based intelligent control architecture offers precise positioning and active station-keeping to let the operator concentrate on the task in hand, thereby reducing their workload.

The vehicle’s intelligent control system allows for a wide range of equipment to be easily added and changed for many different tasks. It incorporates five powerful thrusters into a compact 1 x 0.5 x 0.6 metre versatile system that can operate at depths of 300m and 1000m.

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced that, in conjunction with the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, it will launch and test an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) equipped with technology capable of collecting and processing water samples that can be used to track harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie.

The torpedo-shaped underwater vehicle will travel through the waters of the western basin of Lake Erie to gather and analyze data on a harmful algal bloom currently occurring in the lake. The tool will also archive samples for later genetic analysis, with the goal of better understanding the growth, toxicity and persistence of harmful algal toxins and developing future mitigation strategies.

The team is testing the new technology with the eventual goal that it can be used to improve NOAA’s decision-support tools for Great Lakes communities, including the operational Lake Erie HAB Bulletin that provides an analysis of the bloom and a 3-day forecast, and the experimental Lake Erie HAB Tracker that extends the forecast out to five-days. These tools are used routinely by regional drinking water authorities, state health departments and recreational managers.

“This unmanned underwater vehicle is a new sampling tool that will provide a more detailed, three-dimensional picture of where in the water column a harmful algal bloom is most concentrated and where it may be moving,” said Steve Ruberg, a scientist with NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory. “Getting information about how deep toxins from a harmful algal bloom go and how close they are to municipal water intake pipes can help NOAA improve forecasts and decision-support tools that Great Lakes communities depend on.”

Scientists and engineers teamed up to adapt a system currently being tested on the West Coast to detect domoic acid, an algal neurotoxin that causes shellfish poisoning in marine waters, for use in tracking harmful algal blooms in freshwater lakes. The unmanned vehicle has been equipped with a 3rd generation environmental sample processor and special sensor to detect microcystin. Microcystin is a toxin produced by cyanobacteria, a blue-green algae that causes severe blooms in the Great Lakes and other freshwater systems. Blooms can grow rapidly and cause harm to animals and humans. Cyanobacterial blooms contribute to economic losses associated with drinking, recreational, and agricultural water resources that exceed $2 billion annually in the United States. Early detection of the toxin helps communities prepare their water treatment intake systems to protect water supplies.

Scientists will program the underwater vehicle for its sampling route in advance and then launch it from a small NOAA research vessel. The unmanned vehicle then propels from one station to the next, collects samples, processes them, and measures toxin levels, all while remaining underwater. When the vehicle comes to the surface periodically, it transmits data via satellite to scientists. Additional water samples will be collected and preserved. These samples will be retrieved when the unmanned vehicle is retrieved. Scientists will analyze DNA in the samples to deliver a full catalogue of the organisms present. This information will be compared for samples collected inside and out of the bloom to understand the ecological conditions that control bloom dynamics, with the goal of devising better strategies to mitigate the problem.

“This approach is unique in the sense that we’re merging elements of robotics, biochemistry, and free-ranging autonomous systems,” said Chris Scholin, President of MBARI and director of the environmental sample processor program. “Our goal is to detect and track toxins as they move over space and time. This way we won’t be reliant on sensors located at fixed stations and on sending people to collect samples and then process them. By advancing the state of art in mobile toxin detection capability, we hope to eventually provide new options for resource managers that don’t exist now.”

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General Dynamics Mission Systems has announced that a team led by the company has demonstrated cross-domain, multi-level command, control and communication (C3) capabilities among unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV), submarines and land-based mission operations centers. The demonstration provided technology solutions to the challenges of communicating among multiple platforms in contested underwater environments, from high-level operation planning to tactical mission execution. It took place at the U.S. Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) in Newport, Rhode Island, as part of the Advanced Naval Technology Exercise (ANTX) 2018.

“The 2018 ANTX demonstration shows General Dynamics’ commitment to innovating naval technology and delivering real-world solutions for increasingly complex maritime missions,” said Carlo Zaffanella, vice president and general manager of Maritime and Strategic Systems for General Dynamics Mission Systems.

The General Dynamics team leveraged “big picture” theatre-level planning tools to enable cross-domain C3 of manned submarines and UUV systems. The demonstration employed real-time mission communications with a land-based, theatre-level planning command center and a submarine’s tactical-level command center responsible for tasking the Bluefin-21 and NUWC-owned UUV mission assets.

Collaborating with NUWC’s Code 25 Team, General Dynamics demonstrated a hand-off from one AN/BYG-1 submarine combat system operating at a NUWC lab, to another representation of an AN/BYG-1 system, operated pier-side by General Dynamics. Once control by the General Dynamics command center was established, the team re-tasked UUV assets by ending their existing mission and sending a new mission to the UUVs. The real-time, C3 followed a path using a simulated unmanned aerial vehicle, satellite and actual land-based and maritime communication nodes transmitting both radio frequency and acoustic communications.

Watch a video depicting the capabilities demonstrated by General Dynamics at ANTX 2018 below:

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Teledyne Gavia, a developer of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), has announced the introduction of a Sonar Transponder Module (STM) for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) training. The STM, made by Scanmatic AS of Norway and integrated into a Gavia AUV payload module, is capable of receiving and retransmitting sonar signals for training sonar operators. The STM consists of a flooded transducer compartment, an electronic compartment, and a hydrophone that is towed behind the Gavia AUV. The STM is programmable to emulate different types of realistic submarine target characteristics including sizes and speeds for cost effective and re-usable ASW training applications.

When a Gavia vehicle is not utilizing the STM module, it can be configured for a variety of other applications including MCM, SAR and REA operations. STM modules are suitable for use with all existing Gavia vehicles in the field.

The Gavia AUV is an autonomous sensor platform that is user configurable by the addition of one or more sensor, navigation or battery modules by means of a unique twist lock system. The Gavia AUV is a low logistics, fully modular system designed for operation from vessels of opportunity and has the greatest depth rating of any vehicle in its class. The modular design of the Gavia ensures maximum mission flexibility and system upgradability. Module options include acoustic payloads for ASW training, various side scan sonars, multibeam sonars, camera, and an array of environmental sensors.

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Sonardyne Inc. has announced that its underwater target tracking technology has been chosen by the US Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Carderock Division for use at its South Florida Ocean Measurement Facility (SFOMF). Carderock Division is the US Navy’s research, engineering, modelling, and test centre for surface and undersea technologies. It is the largest, most comprehensive establishment of its kind in the world. Thanks to its proximity to the Gulf Stream, Carderock’s SFOMF provides a demanding open ocean test environment for subsea systems and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) in development for both the Navy and wider maritime industry.

To support this work, Carderock Division has ordered Sonardyne’s high accuracy Ranger 2 Ultra Short Baseline (USBL) acoustic tracking system, complete with a GyroUSBL transceiver, Nano and Wideband Sub-Mini 6 Plus (WSM 6+) transponders.

Mobilized aboard vessels-of-opportunity, the Ranger 2 system will enable operators to track the precise underwater position of any subsea system or UUV that comes through the SFOMF for testing. The system offers the capability of tracking systems in both shallow and deep water, near the surface and over very long ranges. By purchasing both Nano and WSM 6+ transponders, all sizes of vehicle can be accommodated, from man-portable models through to extra-large (XLUUV) designs.

Dan Zatezalo, Technical Sales Manager at Sonardyne Inc., said, “This system will more than meet Navy expectations. Our Ranger 2 GyroUSBL is a survey grade acoustic positioning system with built-in attitude and heading sensors, which makes moving it from vessel to vessel easy, with no new calibration required. Used alongside Nano, our smallest ever, rechargeable acoustic transponder, and WSM 6+ transponders, which both support our secure Wideband 2 signal protocols, the NSWC has a high-performance and time-saving system for its operations at Maryland. This sale also further embeds our commercial-off-the-shelf capabilities, field-proven within the US offshore energy and science sectors, into the North American defence market.”

The SFOMF has housed an active, continuously operating Navy range for more than 50 years. Its main mission is to perform electromagnetic signature tests of Navy assets, using multiple fixed, in-water electromagnetic and acoustic measurement sites. The facility also tests and evaluates mine detection, countermeasures and mine response; performs acoustic measurements; and acquires radar cross section and infrared signatures.

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Teledyne RD Instruments (TRDI) has announced the release of a new proprietary Extended Range Tracking (XRT) option which is capable of extending the bottom tracking range of the company’s Pathfinder and Pioneer Doppler Velocity Logs (DVL) by 60%. This latest development allows users to attain bottom lock faster and more efficiently than ever before, further increasing user control and confidence during subsea missions with autonomous vehicles such as ROVs (remotely operated vehicles) and AUVs (autonomous underwater vehicles).

Extensive in-house and customer testing has proven this extended range in a wide array of conditions and terrains, and has exceeded design expectations. Grant Jennings, Director of Navigation product line at TRDI explains: “We have seen an increase in smaller vehicles operating to greater depths. Our 38kHz DVLs can bottom track to over 2,500m and our 150 kHz DVLs can bottom track to over 500m, but these products are too large to use on the emerging smaller class vehicles. TRDI’s 30 years of Doppler signal processing experience has allowed us to develop a new algorithm that combines the strengths of narrowband with our proven broadband signal processing, giving us the unique combination of the improved range of a narrowband signal, with the proven reliable bottom detection of a broadband signal.”

Teledyne RDI’s DVLs provide precision navigation solutions for subsea vehicles. The new XRT option is available with new DVL sales, or as a convenient firmware upgrade for customers with existing Pathfinder or Pioneer DVLs.

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Alion Science and Technology has announced that it has been awarded a contract by the Department of Navy’s Naval Undersea Warfare Center to develop, build, and support the U.S. Navy Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (UUV) Family of Systems (FoS). The scope of the contract covers systems and subsystems required to support the advancement of UUV FoS, including current UUV systems and subsystems, as well as any future UUV systems and subsystems. The value of the contract, with all option years, is $794M.

Alion will design, develop, fabricate, test, install, document and deliver rapid prototype material solutions associated with the products, systems, subsystems, ancillary and peculiar support equipment, and the development of Navy UUVs. UUVs encompass those unmanned undersea systems, both tethered and non-tethered, which can operate independently from, or in concert with, submarines and surface ships. Mission roles for UUVs are very broad and varied, and include: search, detection and classification, weapon targeting and placement, undersea warfare training, and countermeasures, communications, mapping, intelligence collection, component integration, servicing and recovery, special warfare support, surveillance and other related activities.

“The ability to deploy unmanned vehicles with sensors that can covertly survey a contested environment and detect threats sooner, will provide the host platform an advanced situational awareness that increases the effectiveness of their tactical decision making with less risk to fleet personnel,” said Vince Stammetti, Senior Vice President of Alion. “In addition, the relatively low cost of a UUV as compared to the cost of building a ship, provides the Navy a low cost, force multiplier alternative. Under the FoS contract, the Navy has tasked industry to use their imagination to find even more ways to use them to increase capabilities.”

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General Dynamics Mission Systems has announced the release of the new Bluefin-9 autonomous unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) at Oceans 2018 in Charleston, South Carolina. The completely reengineered vehicle combines high navigational accuracy, improved sonar resolution, and precision manufacturing to deliver defense, commercial and academic customers highly-detailed subsurface data in minutes rather than hours. The two-man portable UUV provides the same data collection capabilities of larger UUVs, and can be deployed and recovered from piers, a rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) or other vessels of opportunity.

The Bluefin-9 includes a removable data storage module (RDSM) which stores high-definition images, video and sonar data that can be accessed within minutes of the vehicle’s recovery. It delivers mission endurance of up to eight hours at a speed of three-knots, and can reach speeds of six-knots and dive to 200 meters. Because of its modularity, customers can exchange both the RDSM and battery to redeploy the Bluefin-9 in 30 minutes or less. These capabilities align with environmental surveying, water quality measurement, search and recovery, security, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and other tactical missions.

“General Dynamics has invested in the redesigned Bluefin-9 and a broad team of engineering experts has made significant improvements to the design, production quality, modularity and reliability of the entire Bluefin Robotics product family to deliver cost-effective UUVs with more mission capability and range,” said Carlo Zaffanella, a vice president and general manager of General Dynamics Mission Systems. “We are proud to introduce this first product of a new generation of UUVs, designed to meet the dynamic operational challenges of our defense and commercial customers.”

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UTEC, a global subsea surveying company, has announced that it has successfully commissioned its new launch and recovery system (LARS) for the fleet of seven autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) it uses for seabed surveys in the oil and renewables industries.

UTEC’s new LARS is a floating garage that enables an AUV to be launched and recovered without needing a small boat, thereby simplifying operations and improving safety. It also increases efficiency and reduces costs by enabling AUV surveys in parallel with construction or laying activities, as the LARS can be deployed from the same work vessel.

The LARS will see its first use on a pipeline inspection offshore West Africa.

The system’s design uses flanged and bolted steel and aluminium tubulars for quick assembly and disassembly to ease transportation and storage. It can also be used for subsea launches. Global navigation satellite and ultra-short-baseline positioning systems can be mounted on the LARS to seed the AUV’s inertial navigation system positioning.

Paul Smith, UTEC group managing director, said, “UTEC’s low-logistics AUVs can be easily launched and recovered from a beach, harbour or survey vessel. The new LARS also makes it easier to operate our AUVs from large vessels, thereby extending their reach and providing flexibility for our clients.”

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Cellula Robotics has announced that it has been given the approval to proceed with phase 3 of a contract by Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of the Department of National Defence’s (DND) science and technology organization, Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC), under the All Domain Situational Awareness (ADSA) Science & Technology (S&T) Program. Under Phase 3, Cellula will develop and build a long range Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV). The UUV will incorporate a fuel cell power pack and suction anchor. Known as Solus-LR, the UUV will have a target range of 2000 km and is designed to stay submerged for multi-month missions.

Eric Jackson, President of Cellula, explained: “This S&T program will showcase Cellula’s advanced UUV research and development, combining traditional technologies with innovative power and anchoring solutions. With Solus-LR able to travel for thousands of kilometers, port to port missions will become a feasible lower-cost alternative to vessel-based operations.”

Cellula has recently completed the Solus-LR preliminary design review and is proceeding with the critical design phase. Technology and lessons learnt from the previously announced Fuel Cell and Suction Anchor phases will be further developed and implemented in this project.

The design phase will continue into early 2019 followed by the build and factory testing. Sea trials and a capabilities demonstration in Indian Arm, British Columbia, will be concluded by April 2020.

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