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10 st / December 2014 www.sea-technology.com The dedication has paid off. Hun- dreds of systems have been installed within the offshore community throughout the last eight years. And in 2014, Greensea has upped the ante by offering commercial products for the frst time. One such product is a control and navigation system for ROVs and AUVs called Balefre, and the second is Endal, a sonar integration platform. Balefre provides attitude stabilization, au- topilots, station keeping, dynamic positioning and autonomous control modes. It can also be extended with standard modules to provide tool- ing and payload support. Endal is an open-architecture sonar applica- tion that provides a common visu- alization and management tool for forward-looking sonars, as well as feature-based positioning and con- trol functions. Whether used alone or in combination, both products ex- ponentially improve the operation of every class of ROV. Steps Forward Perhaps no other has benefted more than the inspection class. In- spection-class vehicles can utilize advanced control systems with au- tonomous functions to realize their true potential. This cannot be a vi- able technology unless it is conve- nient, easily integrated and robust. In tackling this challenge, Greensea felt nothing was more important than building a cutting-edge system on a trusted foundation. Both Balefre and Endal are based on Greensea's core technology, the Open Software and Equip- ment Architecture (openSEA). Anchored by a comprehen- T he world is growing larger for small, inspection-class ROVs. These vehicles are now being tasked for precise and important operations, like mine counter measures, body re- covery, inspection and security, where they were previously never consid- ered. They are rapidly becoming the most valuable tool in many offshore kits. Why the past prejudice? Small ROVs typically have the highest power-to-weight ratios of any ROV class, making them diffcult to operate smoothly and deliberately. Their size also makes them susceptible to ma- nipulation by current, tether drag and payload variations. Yet, small ROVs are the fastest- growing segment in the subsea indus- try. The systems are accessible to a wide swath of users, in part because they are low cost and can be fown by users who are not ROV operators by trade. They are also man portable and often nearly maintenance free. The application for these vehicles is expanding. The burden has fallen upon technology developers like Greensea Systems Inc. (Richmond, Vermont) to supply these systems with greater capabilities. Searching for Solutions The goal for Greensea has always been clear: Make offshore operations more effcient, productive and reliable. Every day since the company's advent in 2006 has been spent designing and de- veloping the architecture behind a software suite for ROVs and AUVs that is easy to use, easy to maintain, robust and portable. Improving Operation of Inspection-Class ROVs Greensea's Balefre and Endal Offer Effciency, Reliability By Mary Brown A recent joint exercise with New York State Troopers showing widespread use of inspec- tion-class vehicles as everyday tools. The Sea- Botix vLBV in the foreground is currently the only inspection-class vehicle to ship from the factory with full-autonomy modes.