Valeport underwater positioning development
Valeport’s V500 altimeter can be paired with the company’s highly accurate pressure sensor to give a very cost effective solution
A fresh approach to the problem of underwater positioning is possible with the new VA500 Altimeter, especially when paired with the company’s highly accurate pressure sensor, says Kevin Edwards of Valeport.
Designed to meet increasing demands, especially from Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs and AUVs), the system’s signal processing means “a significant step forward in performance” for a 500KHz altimeter says Mr Edwards.
He explains, “Most 500KHz altimeters only achieve a reading between 0.1 and 50 metres, but the new unit has pushed this reach from 0.1 to 100 metres.” He adds that normally a vessel would have to switch over to a lower frequency transducer to achieve this kind of range, but Valeport has brought it into the one package, important for ROV and AUV operation.
The VA500 provides stable, repeatable readings to a resolution of 1mm over a range of 0.1m-100m. With a wide range of power supply options and both analogue and digital outputs, the unit offers great flexibility. Digital RS232 and RS485 interfaces, as well as analogue 0-5V and 0-10V outputs are fitted as standard. The VA500 will interface with the Valeport Bathypack as well as those of other manufacturers.
Moreover, its being innovatively paired with the company’s high accuracy pressure sensor, the MiniIPS. This ‘intelligent’ pressure sensor is a precision underwater unit that gives 0.01% accuracy, a titanium housing and a choice of ranges for operators who require highly accurate depth information in real time. The miniIPS is also compatible with Valeport's MIDAS BathyPack and BathyLog software, allowing the depth data to be continually updated for density variations in the water column.
It’s probably the ROV application that will benefit most from the pairing of the V500 altimeter and the pressure sensor Mr Edwards explains.
“Typically ROVs will be looking out how far down they are with the pressure sensor, and adding information on how far off the bottom, or how far off a structure they are if within the 100 metre range.” He also adds that the combination of the altimeter and pressure sensor provides effective performance with a more attractive price tag than other systems on the market.
Finally, the VA500 is sealed in a robust titanium package as standard, in order to eliminate the corrosion issues associated with lower cost metals. Both OEM and right-angled package configurations are also available.
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