AC-ROV Positioning and Tracking
The market leading AC-ROV Underwater Inspection System is now available with an
Ultra Short Base Line (USBL) positioning and tracking system.
During ROV operations, there are many situations where you need to know the
location of the vehicle with reference to you as the operator, or its global position.
Underwater positioning and tracking is fundamental to high level survey and search
applications, allowing you to log where you need to go, where you have been and to
enable target returns by you or others.
Inline with the AC-ROV ethos of mobility, portability and robustness the solution is an
integrated arrangement of the Tritech MicronNav USBL system. The outcome retains
the clean, robust and snag free shape of the AC-ROV, whilst the topside hardware
and interface is 100% Tritech standard.
The MicronNav system could not be easier to deploy, with no modifications required
to the AC-ROV* system and no specialist training for integrating the transponder block
to the vehicle. The MicronNav system can be configured to input survey, vessel
orientation and GPS strings giving survey level positioning data with a real world
location.
- Positions and Tracks to Maximum AC-ROV Depth & Excursion
- Real Time Global Positioning
- AC-ROV mobility, portability and robustness
- Simple ‘no modification’ retrofit*
The MicronNav USBL system calculates vehicle position by combining acoustic
range and bearing data from the vehicle transponder with attitude and heading data
from the surface transceiver. The USBL system comprises a subsea MicronNav unit
fully integrated into an AC-ROV top buoyancy block, a surface USBL dunking
transceiver unit with integral magnetic compass and pitch/roll sensors, a surface
MicronNav100 Interface module and operating software all under control of the
customer host PC/Laptop. The system does not require any additional surface
transceivers (SBL) or seabed transponders (LBL).
MicronNav uses the very latest Spread Spectrum acoustic technology. This provides
robust through water communications between the surface transceiver and the vehicle
transponder. The transceiver is designed to provide 180 degree hemispherical
coverage, allowing accurate vehicle tracking in very shallow water. The design of
the ROV transponder provides omni-directional coverage.
- Spread Spectrum Acoustics for Robust & Reliable Communication in challenging environments
- Hemispherical Acoustic Coverage for Shallow Water Operations
- Integrated motion sensor in dunking transceiver
| SPECIFICATION | |
| CONFIGURED AC-ROV: | |
| Positioning Technology | Spread Spectrum Acoustic Ultra Short Baseline (USBL) |
| Range/Bearing Tracking System. 20-28 kHz band. (Magnetic | |
| Compass and Pitch/Roll Sensor built into transducer as standard) | |
| Tracking Range | 500m (1,640 ft) |
| Range Accuracy | +/- 0.2 meters typical (7.87 inches) |
| Bearing Accuracy | +/-3 degrees |
| Position Update Rate | 0.5 Seconds – 10 Seconds |
| Targets Tracked | Standard 1 (Option 4) |
| Data Display | Polar and Cartesian display with optional user bitmap chart |
| Data Recording | All Data recorded in SeaNet Format for Replay or Analysis |
| Surface Navigation | GPS and Heading/Attitude Sensors supported. Position of |
| surface vehicle displayable. | |
| Surface Station Power | 110-220V AC or 9-30V DC |
| USBL TRANSCEIVER: | |
| Operating Beamwidth | 180 degrees |
| Maximum Diameter | 110mm (4.33 inches) including mounting plate |
| Body Tube Diameter | 75mm (2.95 inches) |
| Maximum Height | 270mm (10.63 inches) |
| Weight in Air | 1.96kg (3lbs 15oz) |
| Weight in Water | 810g (1lb 12oz) |
| Transmitter Source Level | 169dB re 1uPa @ 1M |
| CONFIGURED AC-ROV (MicronNav unit fitted on vehicle): | |
| Length | 205mm |
| Width | 151mm |
| Height | 183mm |
| Vehicle Fly Through | 208mm |
| Beamwidth | Omni directional Transducer |
DEPLOYMENT and OPERATION:
The system can be operated from a fixed or mobile platform and is quick and simple to set up and deploy.
Install the SeaNet software onto a PC or laptop, connect
the MicronNav control box to the laptop and the dunking
transceiver to the control box. Attach the transceiver to
the deployment pole and rigidly fix the pole to the side of
the platform with the transceiver fully submerged.
With the AC-ROV deployed simply activate the MicronNav
system to start receiving vehicle range and bearing
information.
NOTE; The Dunking Transceiver should be mounted 1 to
2 meters below the surface of the water and 1 to 2 meters
away from the dock wall or vessel hull. If this is not
possible in the vessel application, then lower the head
further to ensure a clearance of 1 to 2 meters below the
hull.
* Dependant on date of manufacture
