Diver localization success in US Navy trials

The trials centred around not just the company’s diver detection capabilities, but also the increasingly important requirement for diver localization.

‘FarSounder is a market leader in 3D Forward Looking Sonar for navigation, and it was a natural step to adapt this unique technology to meet other industry needs, said the company’s CEO Cheryl Zimmerman. ‘We have been very cognizant of our diver detection capabilities over the years and being able to combine this with diver localization brings situational awareness to a whole new level.’

Led by FarSounder’s engineering team and working with a local professional diver, it was demonstrated how quickly and efficiently the equipment could be deployed and operated. In shallow waters, the diver localization was proven to significant ranges, significantly more than the Navy’s expectations.

Traditionally used on commercial and private ships for obstacle avoidance and shallow water navigation, FarSounder FS-3 sonars are capable of generating a complete 3D image of the sea floor and in water objects at navigationally significant ranges with a single ping. With a 60º to 90º field of view, underwater obstacles and various in water targets such as whales, floating containers or other similar hazards are easily detected and shown on a unique three dimensional display. This same technology is easily adaptable to a range of other underwater security applications such as vessel or port perimeter surveillance, diver detection and ROV/AUVs.