Kongsberg Maritime puts new technology into action

Norway’s Kongsberg Maritime has launched a new addition to the cNODE product range of acoustic modems which introduces the new capability to stream a live video feed for a variety of subsea installation tasks.

The cNODE Mantis features a live video solution said to significantly increase the number of applications and services for which cNODE systems could be used.

The live video is transmitted to a receiver installed either on the ROV’s tether management system (TMS) or on the vessel itself, at ranges of up to 500 meters.

As the wireless video transfer works on a high-speed acoustics link it will function in both murky and clear water conditions and is unaffected by background light. With a bit rate of up to 70 kbit/s, it allows for the transfer of live video with a typical quality of 420 x 380p at four frames per second, Kongsberg said.

“In many cases, the cNODE Mantis could be a vital asset for increasing efficiency in challenging operations by supplementing high-quality video from an ROV with acoustic video streaming from a remote camera placed on the seabed, or on a structure which is being lowered,” said Jan Erik Faugstadmo, product line manager at Kongsberg Maritime.

“During subsea installation projects, being able to visually monitor placement of structures on the seabed is obviously of prime importance, so in some scenarios it will be advantageous to have a second view to assist the ROV, or indeed to provide a view from an angle where it is impractical or impossible for an ROV to be positioned.”

Kongsberg Maritime also recently launched a new multibeam echosounder for use with unmanned surface vehicles (USVs).

The EM 712 USV features a subsea container housing redesigned electronics, which would normally be located on the topside of a standard EM 712. The container fits inside the same footprint as the transducers and can therefore be easily installed in a gondola, reducing the number of cables protruding through the USV’s hull to a minimum.

The technology is operated using the company’s Seafloor Information System (SIS) software, delivered via SIS Remote which enables users to remotely control the echosounder from an onsite location. SIS Remote can also be operated through the Blue Insight platform, the company’s cloud-based solution for collecting, storing and processing data received from a survey vessel.

According to Kongsberg, the EM 712 USV is fully frequency-agile between 40 and 100 kHz, allowing for long-range and swath coverages by utilizing CW and FM chirp pulses, in combination with being a high-resolution sonar.