6G technology for autonomous vessels

L3’s C-Stat 2 and C-Cat 3 autonomous vessels will be offered factory-fitted with Sonardyne’s 6G range of Ranger 2 Ultra-Short BaseLine (USBL) tracking and communications systems for use during inshore and offshore operations.

“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,” said Ioseba Tena, global business manager – Marine Robotic Systems at 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,” he added.

Precise positioning

The C-Stat 2, equipped with Sonardyne’s Ranger 2 Gyro USBL model, is designed for operators needing to position underwater assets with high levels of precision. The platform will enable a range of tasks, such as touchdown monitoring, seismic cable lay operations, Compatt 6 Long BaseLine (LBL) array box-in and remote LBL baseline calibration, vehicle tracking and subsea sensor data collecting.

Equipped with Mini-Ranger 2, the C-Cat 3, will be able to operate as a gateway for Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) operations, enabling tracking and communications with up to 10 AUVs at the same time.

By Rebecca Jeffrey