L3 Technologies and Sonardyne equip AUVs with 6G capability

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L3 Technologies has announced that its commercial autonomous vessel product range will be equipped with 6G capability, thanks to a collaboration with Sonardyne International Ltd.

L3 says that its C-Stat 2 and C-Cat 3 autonomous vessels will be equipped with Sonardyne’s 6G range of Ranger 2 Ultra-Short BaseLine (USBL) tracking and communications systems.

According to L3, these distinctive platforms and sensor combinations have shown themselves capable of delivering optimized options for data gathering and subsea positioning tasks during inshore and offshore operational scenarios.

“Combining our unrivalled autonomous vessel technology with Sonardyne’s industry-standard communication and positioning systems will enable us to provide end users with a fully integrated solution,” says James Cowles, Commercial Technical Sales manager, L3 UK.

“Factory fitting Sonardyne 6G also adds value to our existing solutions, making the transition from conventional manned survey platforms to autonomy a much smoother process for companies looking to gain the competitive edge with lower costs and safer data acquisition.”

Equipped with Sonardyne’s Ranger 2 Gyro USBL model, the C-Stat 2 AUV is designed for operators that need to position underwater assets with high levels of precision. The platform will allow a variety of tasks to be conducted, including touchdown monitoring, seismic cable lay operations, vehicle tracking and subsea sensor data collecting.

Meanwhile, the C-Cat 3, equipped with Mini-Ranger, will be capable of operating as a gateway for AUV operations, enabling tracking and communications with up to 10 AUVs at the same time.

“L3 and Sonardyne have a long history of successfully working together to deliver on cutting-edge technical programmes. Now L3’s customers will be able to access Sonardyne’s versatile 6G acoustic positioning, communication and sensing technology on proven commercial autonomous vessel platforms,” explains Ioseba Tena, global business manager – Marine Robotic Systems, Sonardyne.

“Combining these capabilities means customers have access to vessels that can perform more remote and autonomous marine operations; including tracking multiple AUVs and real-time data harvesting in hard to access environments across defence, offshore and ocean science sectors.”