VideoRay LLC and Sonardyne International Ltd. have been working together to demonstrate enhanced remotely operated vehicle (ROV) operations through integration with positioning systems.
UK-based underwater positioning specialist Sonardyne initially integrated Micro-Ranger 2 Ultra-Short BaseLine (USBL) technology with VideoRay's Mission Specialist Technology for ROVs in 2018. Since then, the systems have been deployed together in a range of applications from aquaculture to mine countermeasures operations.
Sonardyne's Micro-Ranger 2 USBL system is designed for shallow water tracking of divers and small ROVs and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).
VideoRay's Defender and Pro 5 ROVs feature Mission Specialist Technology. This platform is designed using interchangeable, modular components, so it is an excellent fit for Sonardyne's Micro-Ranger 2.
In recent trials, the Defender was successfully equipped with a Micro-Ranger 2 and a Viper mine disposal system from ECS Special Projects. Viper is a twin-shot disruptor with the capability of deploying multiple "shots" during one dive mission.
VideoRay Defender with Micro-Ranger 2 under water.
"Micro-Ranger 2 worked flawlessly, accurately tracking the Defender as it deployed the Viper charge on a simulated manta mine," says Chris Gibson, Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Business Development at VideoRay. "It's a high-performance tool that gives our ROVs even more range and flexibility when matched with the Viper system."
Extremely portable and quick to mobilize, Micro-Ranger 2 can be deployed from any waterside location or vessel. This makes it ideal for supporting marine operations conducted in rivers, lakes and coastal waters. The system has an operating range of 995 meters and can update the position of each target being tracked up to twice a second.
Micro-Ranger 2 calculates the position of underwater targets using a transceiver at the surface to transmit an acoustic signal to transponders attached to each of the targets to be tracked. Using the return signal from each transponder, Micro-Ranger 2 determines its range (distance), bearing (heading), and depth, displaying the results on a radar-style software display.
