Offshore staff
DARLINGTON, UK – Modus Subsea Services Ltd. has acquired two SPICE (Subsea Precise Inspector with Close Eyes) AUV systems from Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.
According to Kawasaki, SPICE is the world's first AUV equipped with a robot arm for performing subsea pipeline inspections. An inspection tool unit is fitted with close-range sensors at the end of the robot arm. SPICE controls the robot arm autonomously to track the pipeline and perform inspection operations.
In addition, it is operated using a Kawasaki-developed docking station, which increases inspection operation efficiency and reduces cost requirements.
SPICE’s specifications are:
- Length overall: approximately 5.6 m (18.3 ft)
- Width: approximately 1.4 m (4.6 ft)
- Height: approximately 1.1 m (3.6 ft)
- Weight: approximately 2,500 kg (in air)
- Maximum depth: 3,000 m (9,842 ft)
- Maximum speed: 4 knots
- Propulsion equipment: one main propulsion propeller, two side thrusters, and two vertical thrusters
- Navigation equipment: Inertial navigation system, sonar
- Safety equipment: Ballast release equipment, iridium beacon.
05/18/2021
