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www.sea-technology.com October 2017 / st 21 play monitors were installed in both the online control room and the offline data processing room along with thousands of meters of fiber and copper cable to interconnect every- thing. The system is extremely capable and streamlined, with a goal of maximum uptime for the AUVs. The AUVs are capa- ble of operating in fully autonomous mode, when weather requires the USVs to stay on deck. Ocean Infinity has had up to five AUVs in the water surveying at one time in the first 30 days of operation. These figures are reflective of the average performance since the mobilization was completed in July 2017. As improvements in spares management, vehicle repair and turnaround, and weather management algorithms become implemented, the fleet can work toward its full capabilities. The present target is to improve this to a peak of 800 km surveyed per day, with 150 hours of total vehicle uptime per day. Comparatively speaking, a single standard AUV with a 25-hour battery life and a 3-hour turnaround could com- plete 150 hours of survey per week, if there were no equip- ment failures or delays. As referenced in the data and expla- nation above, the eight AUVs have the potential to complete 150 hours of survey in a single day, including maintenance and turnaround times. Multiple vehicles not only allow for simultaneous opera- tions, but also improve the overall reliability of the fleet. A single catastrophic failure on an AUV will not stop the op- eration. With only one AUV, a complete failure of an AUV system would require the ship to transit to port or stop work to make repairs. The multiple autonomous vehicle concept and high-endurance AUVs are exploited in this combined operation. Further Development Producing such a large quantity of geophysical data is meaningless without the ability to interpret and process the data in less than the acquisition time. The offline sur- vey team is improving the processing capacity for produced data, focusing on advancements in software and tuning the onboard system to allow for parallel processes to take place. This will allow the processing team to receive, quality control, process and produce a deliverables package with a reduced turnaround time by moving much of the work traditionally done onshore to on board the vessel. Ocean In- finity provides a comprehensive seabed exploration system with the capability to survey, target search, inspect, repair and salvage, all from one multipurpose offshore vessel. The advantage of this operation is the ability to perform mul- tiple tasks from a single vessel, without leaving the project site or requiring a second support vessel. This provides a streamlined operation that is a one-stop shop by going be- yond just the collection of geophysical seabed data to pro- vide clients the ability to successfully accomplish multiple offshore tasks. ST Joshua "Josh" Broussard holds a master's in business administration and a bach- elor's in engineering/technology and is in his early career as an automation and electronics technician for offshore installations. He has more than 10 years' experience in managing automation and robotics projects. He is Ocean Infin- ity's technical director and has a key role in the development and support of the fleet's operations.