Echo Surveyor 1
Echo Surveyor 1 is a “state of the art” autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), specifically designed for efficient survey operations in water depths down to 3000 metres. AUV’s are the ultimate choice of instrument platform for deep sea and remote surveys. Placing survey sensors onboard an AUV means the geophysical measurements take place close to the seafloor, dramatically improving data resolution and accuracy.
The AUV is based on a Kongsberg Maritime manufactured Hugin 3000 body with a payload selected by Fugro to meet the demands of the offshore survey industry. In comparison to towed systems, the tight turning circle enormously reduces the time to change between survey lines. The Inertial Navigation System (INS) adds rigour to the positioning of hazards and features. Compared to an ROV, the AUV operates without an umbilical and is able to move both faster and more quietly, collecting data with a very high signal-to-noise ratio. The survey is completed sooner and the results are more accurate. Clients within the oil and gas industry, the utilities sector and government agencies utilise Fugro’s AUV’s to obtain engineering grade of high resolution data for deep sea field developmentand seabed mapping. Design is optimised and risk is reduced.
Fugro own and operate two Echo Surveyor class AUVs which are mobilised either from one of Fugro’s dedicated fleet of international survey vessels or from 3rd party charter ship’s. The AUV container system is ready for rapid deployment to survey locations worldwide.
Echo Surveyor 1 has the following capabilities:
Efficient semi-fuel cell battery
60 to 70 hour dive endurance
Nominal survey speed 4 knots
Inertial Navigation System
Standard payload comprises:
Multibeam echosounder
Sidescan sonar
Sub-bottom profiler
CTD profiler