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The Naval Postgraduate School USV-2600 with sediment transport study payload. Sampling was performed using imagery from onboard cameras and position feedback at operator-selected locations. Future Work, Applications New applications and areas of operation are emerging for USVs. Marine Construction. Large subsea construction vessels require the placement of deepwater long baseline array beacons for accurately positioning construction assets. A considerable amount of time is spent by the vessel crew and the onboard surveyors to calibrate each of the long-baseline beacons in the array feld. A USV deployed with a transceiver and data telemetry link to the construction vessel could autonomously perform the box-in acoustic calibrations from the surface while the expensive construction vessel works on other subsea operations or prepares for recoveries and deployments. SeaRobotics is now working with a marine construction support and survey company to validate this process. Arctic Operations. Opportunities are emerging in various regions of the world, with renewed interest in the Arctic leading the way. As navigation through previously inaccessible waters becomes possible due to the rapid disappearance of multiyear sea ice, investigation of this region must proceed quickly. Improvements to nautical charts, tide and current studies, and bathymetric surveys are required to better understand and provide safe navigation in these inhospitable territories. A USV-2600, confgured for Arctic operations near the magnetic north pole, completed in August its frst Arctic missions. The demonstration was conducted for the Canadian defense community using AN/SSQ-553G sonobuoys, manufactured by Ultra Electronics (Dartmouth, Canada). Confgured and outftted at the factory for sonobuoy launch, the system was immediately transported to the Arctic for operations. After successful demonstration of its intended sonobuoy launch mission, the USV payload was reconfgured by the end user for subsea profling. The sonobuoy launch system, capable of launching three A-size sonobuoys, was removed in the feld and replaced with a profling sonar system. With generous deck space and the connectors provided for user functions, the system was reconfgured in the feld by the user, requiring no support from the factory. Arctic operations were supported using GPS-based heading inputs, allowing for accurate waypoint navigation and station keeping in the far North. www.sea-technology.com DECEMBER 2012 / st 29