104 Show report | Ocean Business 2023 batteries while running inspections of subsea facilities and infrastructure. Each 7 kWh SBP can operate at temperatures from -20 to +60 oC, and can be housed in titanium to enable lifetime operations at 6000mdepths. 18650 cylindrical lithium-ion cells are used inside eachmodule, chosen for their safety and are tested to UN- andMil-Spec standards. Wavefront Systems discussed its Vigilant series of forward-looking sonars, which the company noted is used on a number of large surface vessels as well as by MSubs and other AUV manufacturers for survey, navigation and obstacle avoidance applications. “In particular they’ve trialled the use of our Vigilant 1000, which gives you a high-quality 3D sonar image of anything up to 600 m away, and reliable obstacle avoidance of anything up to 1000 m away,” Andy Covey said. “Even for objects upwards of 900 m away, you still get solid detection of in-volume obstacles – whether it’s a shipping container, a marine mammal or another vehicle – with a range, bearing and position in the water column, along with determinations of whether you can navigate over, under or around it. Your uncrewed vehicle will therefore have time to take evasive action.” The Vigilant 1000 has a 120o FoV, operates at a frequency of 70 kHz, and can be used at speeds of up to 25 knots and in temperatures from-2C to +40 oC. It measureswith an angular accuracy of 0.3o, has a roll and pitch stabilisation of ±20o, and consumes up to 150Wduring operation. Open Ocean Robotics had come from Canada to show the ongoing progress of its Data Xplorer USV, which is being used increasingly by customers interested in maritime domain awareness operations. “We recently had a USV operating as part of the US-led Digital Horizon uncrewed and AI exercise in Bahrain,” said Julie Angus. “The Data Xplorer worked with other USVs over a mesh radio network, with AI providing and distributing information across the group on vessels detected and their activities. “That kind of persistent maritime awareness could tackle many of the challenges associated with securing ocean borders against challenges like illegal fishing, drug trafficking and weapons trafficking.” The Data Xplorer is designed to operate for 200-plus hours while moving at 2 knots, with a 10.5 kWh battery supplemented by power from deckmounted solar cells, positioning it as a slow-moving, 360o scanning system (by way of EO/IR cameras, sonar or other integrated sensors). Its design features a roll bar to enable self-righting amid turbulent waves, granting it added stability for clear, reliable survey readings even in high sea states, severe weather or traffic-congestedwaters. “Because it uses buoyancy for selfrighting instead of ballast, it is lightweight and has a shallow draught, making it well-suited to shallow waters,” Angus added. “And of course, that capability means it can be launched and operated in a range of conditions and it will continue gathering data.” PrevcoSubsea updated us on the latest offerings in its range of subsea pressure vessels and related accessories. “We provide quite a lot of COTS June/July 2023 | Uncrewed Systems Technology The Vigilant FLS fromWavefront Systems is fitted on MSubs’ S201 XLUUV, as part of the DASA XLUUV programme SubCtech’s 416 SmartPowerBlock
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