Sonardyne International has released the SPRINT-Nav U hybrid acoustic-inertial navigator designed for compact marine robotic platforms. The equipment package measures 135 mm high and 114 mm in diameter, and it weighs 600 grams in water.
According to the company, it allows operators of small ROVs, AUVs, towfish, and USVs to access survey-grade navigation capabilities that were previously available solely to larger platforms.
The system incorporates an attitude and heading reference system, doppler velocity log, inertial navigation system, and a pressure sensor with one connector and one cable, and is said to allow operators to conduct complex inspections and surveys around offshore structures without the need for large-scale vessel deployments.
For offshore wind monitoring and maintenance operations, the FOG-based IMU provides continuous position, orientation, and velocity data even when operating in and around offshore wind turbine foundations, cables, and other subsea infrastructure, without the interference issues common to magnetic-based systems, according to Sonardyne.
