Auv Technology News

Driven by the need to organically protect maritime Task Groups from the threat of sea mines, the Royal Australian Navy is introducing a deployable Mine Counter-Measures (MCM) capability under the first phase of Project SEA 1778.The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) SEA 1778 deployable Mine Counter-Measures (MCM) capability is both a small step forward in the spiral development process and a “technological leap” into autonomy.”The RAN is looking to replace its four legacy Huon-class minehunter coastal ships (MHCs) with a new deployable MCM capability.

Modus Seabed Intervention has successfully completed trialling one of the subsea industry’s first commercially available hybrid unmanned underwater vehicles. It will be one of the first autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to feature the capabilities and characteristics of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). In partnership with Saab Dynamics, Modus has developed the Saab Sabretooth to offer greater endurance and speed, and is also developing advanced sensor payload packages and operating methodologies. The vehicle is expected to contribute to more cost-effective survey and inspection projects in the offshore, defence and oceanographic sectors. Following successful trials in Sweden and the UK, Modus is preparing the advanced spread for its first commercial deployment.

Kongsberg inform that Bjørn Jalving, Executive Vice President Subsea at maritime, offshore and subsea technology developer Kongsberg Maritime recently has been given the Compass Distinguished Achievement Award from the Marine Technology Society. The award ceremony was at the OCEANS 2014 MTS/IEEE conference in St. John 's, Newfoundland, Canada. This prestigious award is presented to an individual whose work has had significant impact on the fields of marine science and technology. Bjørn Jalving was selected for the award because of his long career and significant achievements within AUV technology. After graduating as M.Sc. in Engineering Cybernetics from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in 1991…

Mission commemorates 70th anniversary of World War II Tragedy. A mission off the coast of South Devon, England has surveyed two U.S. Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs) that were torpedoed and sunk during the D-Day rehearsal Exercise Tiger on April 28, 1944. Using state-of-the-art autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) technology to collect data from the wreckage site, the mission has produced the first high-definition sonar images of this World War II tragedy. This was the first time in history that an AUV had surveyed the area. The mission, which was executed by Hydroid, Inc., a subsidiary of Kongsberg Maritime and the leading manufacturer of AUVs, with additional data provided by the Royal Navy's Maritime Autonomous System Trials Team (MASTT), commemorates the 70th anniversary of Exercise Tiger.

Heeding the call to join “An Ocean in Common,” authors flooded the Oceans ‘13 MTS/IEEE San Diego technical program committee with a record number of abstracts in a single day. Special topics include an Ultra-deep track discussing current and prospective robotic technologies, plus a panel of scientists to consider research questions. Oceans2013 Chair Bob Wernli, and Co-Chair Kevin Hardy, developer of the unmanned landers for James Cameron’s DeepSea Challenge Expedition, will be the session conveners. “James’ intention is to be certain the door remains open to other explorers,” Hardy said.

The Duke University Center on Globalization, Governance and Competitiveness (CGGC) recently completed a study on ocean technologies, including remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), for a consortium led by Nova Scotia’s Department of Economic and Rural Development and Tourism (ERDT). Excerpts from the report on the market and technology trends in ROVs and AUVs are provided in this article. Global ROV vehicle sales in 2010 totaled approximately $850 million.

Douglas-Westwood: The AUV market will continue to be dominated by North American activity; Military and research sectors to have 90% market share by 2016. The global AUV fleet is increasing and demand for autonomous underwater vehicles is expected to show steady growth over the period to 2016 according to a new report by Douglas-Westwood. Report author Paul Newman commented, “Many of the factors in the drive to using unmanned military aircraft, the so-called ‘drones’ also apply to both military and civil subsea operations. “When Douglas-Westwood’s first World AUV Market Forecast was launched in 2004, 92 AUVs had been built; the new 4th edition identifies some 560 and forecasts an additional 370 units will be in use by 2016.