AUV System Spec Sheet

Abyss configuration

Platform: Remus 6000
Manufacturer: Hydroid
Commercial Operator: Institute of Marine Sciences at the Christian-Albrechts Universität zu Kiel

Summary

The autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) ABYSS from IFM-GEOMAR

The AUV ABYSS is designed to perform hydrographic reconnaissance in all parts of the ocean in depths up to 6000 meters. The REMUS 6000 type AUV is able to carry a payload to great depth in order to measure ocean water characteristics (conductivity, temperature, Eh, chemical composition etc.) or map and image the seabed (bathymetry, side scan, magnetics, gravimetry, photography). The vehicle contains two 5.6 kWh 29-Volt lithium-ion battery packs allowing an operating and mapping of up to 24 hours.

A graphic mission planner lets users build mission files at the beginning of each mission. The torpedo-like system is able to work on different tasks during one specific mission which requires an installation of different sensors.

Sensors of the base vehicle include pressure, temperature, conductivity, optical backscatter and eH-sensor (in cooperation with Dr. Koichi Nakamura, Japan), and an inertial navigation system that is aided by an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) with bottom lock capabilities.

In addition, the vehicle can be reconfigured for three different modes of operation as follows:

1. Base vehicle plus RESON Seabat 7125 Multi-Beam (200/400 kHz), or
2. Base vehicle plus Electronic Still Camera & Strobe, or
3. Base vehicle plus EdgeTech Dual Frequency (110/420 kHz) Side Scan Sonar and Sub-Bottom Profiler

The AUV can be operated from all large to medium-sized german research vessels. The vehicle is deployed using a hydraulically-powered Launch and Recovery System (LARS) with a turnable system to allow an operation over the stern or the side.

The AUV system was funded by the German Science Foundation (DFG) and was built in 2008 by Hydroid LLC (USA).