SMD standardises on Sonardyne’s hybrid navigation solution for new electric work class ROV range

Image Caption: Sonardyne’s Alan MacDonald (left) and Graeme Jaques, Head of ROV Sales for SMD, pictured at the launch of the Quantum EV on the opening day of Offshore Europe 2019

Underwater navigation technology from Sonardyne International Ltd. has been chosen by subsea equipment specialist Soil Machine Dynamics Ltd. (SMD) for its new electric work class remotely operated vehicle (ROV) range, launched today at Offshore Europe in Aberdeen.

The Quantum EV will be factory-fitted with Sonardyne’s hybrid navigation solution, Lodestar-Nav 200, as standard, enabling new owners to put the ROV straight into operational service after taking delivery.

The Quantum EV Work Class ROV prototype introduces electric drive technology to the subsea sector in an optimised, modular package which brings electric ROV performance and capability to a new level. Lodestar-Nav is a turnkey navigation solution for ROV control and guidance. It combines a high accuracy attitude heading reference system (AHRS), Syrinx Doppler velocity log (DVL) and survey grade pressure sensor, in an all-in-one instrument, making it less complex to integrate and operate. What’s more, Lodestar-Nav is pre-calibrated providing the ROV pilots with a robust and reliable solution, even in the most challenging operational scenarios, without needing to worry about sensor offsets.

For complex survey applications, where an inertial output is required, Lodestar-Nav can easily be remotely upgraded in the field to a SPRINT-Nav, Sonardyne’s increasingly popular acoustic-inertial hybrid navigation system.

Mark Collins, SMD’s Director for Remote and Autonomous Solutions, says, “The EV range represents a new philosophy in ROV design focused on performance, reliability, flexibility, ease of use and compact form factor. It makes sense to apply the approach to the sensors we select to fit. Lodestar-Nav exceeds our stringent design criteria and focus on ease of use and reliability. Over the past few months our engineering team has been working closely with Sonardyne’s to fully understand the instrument’s impressive capabilities and complete all the integration and pre-delivery testing regimes.

Alan MacDonald, Sales Manager with Sonardyne in Aberdeen, says, “Lodestar-Nav’s 4,000 metre housing is compact and easy to fit with just one cable to interface so fitting it during the build of a vehicle makes a lot of sense. From an end-users’ perspective, taking delivery of your new vehicle with the navigation already taken care is very appealing, and means you can put your new asset to work in less time.”

Location: Aberdeen, Scotland, UK