Remote Inspection Equipment

ROV: Typical hardware for the remote inspection of subsea structures and plant are the SeaEye Falcon and Outland 1000 Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV). These vehicles represent the leading edge in remote access technology and are the leaders in their class of ROV.

Outland 1000 Specifications

 

The vehicles typically carry two video cameras, one high resolution colour and one B&W camera suitable for low light levels. Internal and external lights allow the vehicle to be used in low visibility water both at sea and in rivers and reservoirs. A surface control box is used to monitor and steer the vehicle to a maximum depth of 150m. Four thrusters allow the tethered vehicle to move from side to side and up and down. Imaging sonar is also used for navigation and obstacle avoidance.
 

Imaging Sonar: The P900 is configured with a 130° field of view. At 900 kHz the P900 Series provides a high resolution sonar for underwater detection and identification operations. Specifically designed to increase search rates and effectiveness in low and/or zero visibility conditions with both mid-range detection and close-range identification capabilities from moving or stationary platforms.

 

The MS-1000 permits simultaneous operation of multiple sonar heads (imaging and/or profiling), and altimeters, allowing the user to input and record any sensor(s) via RS 232 with an ASCII format. Advanced target measurement tools and recording of the data (including sonar settings, sensors and navigation data - NMEA 0813 format) makes the MS-1000 the most feature-packed scanning sonar processor available.

Subsea Positioning: EasyTrak is an Ultra Short Baseline (USBL) underwater positioning and tracking system centred on a multi-element, single transducer that transmits and receives acoustic signals to dynamic subsea targets from which range, bearing and depth information can be determined.

 

As a full system package, EasyTrak has been specifically designed to overcome the difficulties of tracking underwater targets such as divers, ROV’s, AUV’s and tow-fish which operate out of sight beneath the water surface. Advances in acoustic technology and software interfacing allow the entire system to be truly portable, enabling a simple transfer from stowage to vessel.