Sea Technology

DEC 2012

The industry's recognized authority for design, engineering and application of equipment and services in the global ocean community

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"USV missions range from bathymetric surveys, volume fow rate measurements in rivers or stream gauging to missions involving cast sensor suites, towed sensors, ROV operations or MCM." When faced with more challenging sea states and endurance requirements in the Arctic and elsewhere, larger catamarans could provide an alternative to manned system operations. Long-Term Autonomous Profling. SeaRobotics delivered in October the Surveying Coastal Ocean Autonomous Profler (SCOAP), an 11-meter catamaran USV with a 6-meter beam and a payload capacity of approximately 1,000 kilograms, to the University of Rhode Island. It will perform current profling studies, water quality sampling and other hydrographic and oceanographic survey missions. SCOAP is intended to be deployed for 30-day missions, operating at 5 knots off the coast of Rhode Island. SCOAP is the frst USV in this hull series. It utilizes 400 gallons of diesel fuel and a diesel generator-based hybrid propulsion system. The USV is capable of deploying multibeam sonar systems and medium-size ROVs or performing casts with various water and oceanographic data sampling systems. ROVs and an assortment of data sampling systems are used to inspect and monitor various subsea structures, features, construction sites and the surrounding seafoor. At a time when budgetary challenges are increasing and ocean data gathering is on the rise, substantial cost savings can be realized with USV-supported ROV and data sampling operations. Numerous sensors have been cast from the referenced USVs, including RBR Ltd. (Kanata, Canada) and YSI multifunction gauges, WetLabs transmissometers, various acoustic and optical backscatter sensors, fuorometers and mass spectrometers. Conclusion The USV is fnding its way out of the laboratory and research institutions into cost-effective performance of realworld tasks. USV-based operations can deploy a range of instruments and offer the potential for cost reductions in many surveys. Dangerous and monotonous tasks performed in inhospitable environments are prime candidates for USV operations. Equally compelling are those USV tasks performed as "force multipliers" for manned operations. These tasks are generally performed simultaneously with tasks performed by a local manned vessel. Utilizing USVs to improve survey coverage and geophysical data gathering, as well as for the operations described above, will ensure a rapidly expanding workload for USVs in the years to come. n Don Darling, president of SeaRobotics, received a master's in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has 30 years of experience developing ROVs (Perry Triton System), AUVs, USVs, ocean sampling systems and autonomous hull-cleaning systems. www.sea-technology.com DECEMBER 2012 / st 31

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