7. Qualifying Freedom 11. Finding USS Nevada 16. NOAA Tests DriX 18. Film-Ocean Invests Further in Work Class ROV 24 The magazine of choice for Subsea Construction ISSUE and AUV/ROV/USV Professionals Q3 / 2020 SMART SUBSEA SOLUTIONS Delivering data in most adverse conditions: underwater acoustic modems with advanced communication technology and networking Accurate USBL and LBL positioning of underwater assets Modem emulator and other cost-saving developer tools Autonomous surface vehicle for bathymetry, monitoring and AUV support Perform functional tests of EvoLogics S2C modems, NEW: AMA 2.0 analyze the underwater acoustic channel and free software confi gure modem parameters for modem tests [email protected] EvoLogics.de WELCOME TO ROVPLANET! TABLE OF CONTENTS My name is Richie Enzmann, and allow me to welcome you all to the latest issue of ROV Planet! 03 Welcome to ROV Planet 04 Events Calendar Dear Reader, 07 Qualifying Freedom I hope this quarter’s issue finds you safe and well. Obviously, the coronavirus pandemic is a massively negative thing, 11 Finding USS Nevada affecting our health, industries, and livelihood. However, 16 NOAA Tests DriX it also represents an opportunity to re-train and learn new skills via online courses from the comfort of home. 18 Film-Ocean Invests Further in New Work Class ROV I myself took the opportunity to start the Hydrographic Survey Category B training with Dutch company Skilltrade B.V. Skilltrade 23 The Abyssal Ecosystem are now providing some of their courses partly online, with the SMART SUBSEA SOLUTIONS 28 Poster practical training taking part in the Netherlands next year (for 31 The History of Underwater more course information read the next page). Delivering data in most adverse conditions: underwater Wet-Mateable Connectors Besides the training, I can recommend their three volume acoustic modems with advanced communication 37 Ice-o-Pod Exploring Antarctica’s Handbook of Offshore Surveying, which I also bought. It’s an Under-Ice Marine Life excellent reference point if someone wants to know about technology and networking topics related to offshore surveying, including acoustics, 41 Interview: RUD ROV Hook – active sonars, geodesy, underwater positioning, and satellite Subsea Lifting to the Next Level navigation systems. With the UN Seabed 2030 initiative to Accurate USBL and LBL positioning of underwater assets 47 Cybersecurity Under and Above Water map the seabed by 2030, the hydrographic skills, including remote hydrography using AUVs and USVs are more relevant 51 The Theseus AUV: A Cold War Legacy than ever, and will soon be in even higher demand. Modem emulator and other cost-saving developer tools As for this issue itself, we have a series of highly interest- ing and engaging articles for you, starting with an update on the progress of the Freedom resident ROV/AUV from Autonomous surface vehicle for bathymetry, monitoring IMPRESSUM Oceaneering. We also have a comprehensive piece by Jim Cairns EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SPECIAL THANKS TO explaining the history of wet mateable connectors from the and AUV support Richie Enzmann Bill Mallin, Audrey Leon, Francisco Bustamante, Johan Stam, Christa Ravensbergen, Chris Hyde, inventor’s point of view: a remarkable story of determina- COPY EDITOR Katei Hodgson, Matt Bates, Willard Balthazar, tion, problem solving, highs and lows about getting new Will Grant Oliver Plunkett, Holly Ewart, Shauna Cotie, Julian Lalanne, Marion Seyve, John Bloomfield, products to the market. We also interviewed Jim Delgado SALES DIRECTOR Katie Marshall, Paul Fletcher, Gautier Dreyfus, about the search for USS Nevada, to find out more about Nick Search Stephen Miller, David Kelly, Gary McConnell, Lauren Forgie, Billy Milne, Paloma Robinson, the discovery of this iconic ship - in the age of the pandemic. DESIGN & LAYOUT Carina Cunha, Maria Amoroso, Diana Baptista, Milan Farkas Rafael Simão, Victor Sepulveda, James Colebourn, One matter from our Sales Director, Nick Search, is to remind John Benson, Katrin Schmidt, Nicole Chan, CONTRIBUTORS Nick Rettie, Rachel McAlpine, Steve Phelps, all our global readers that should they see an interesting Perform functional tests Richie Enzmann, Steffan Lindsø, Graham McAvoy advertisement that they'd like to know more about, all they NEW: AMA 2.0 Dr. James Delgado, Hayley Yule, of EvoLogics S2C modems, Dr. Jim Cairns, Glenn Johnstone, ISSN 2634-0283 (PRINT) need to do is click on the ad and they will link to that advertiser's free software Jonny Stark, David Jaramillo, ISSN 2634-0291 (ONLINE) chosen webpage. This system is very much there to encourage analyze the underwater acoustic channel and Daniel E. Turissini, Bruce Butler business exchange and we encourage you to use it when- for modem tests confi gure modem parameters Oceaneering RUD Skilltrade Australian Antarctic ever convenient. Division Ocean Infinity Saab Seaeye Film-Ocean Finally, we have another historical article from Bruce Butler SPYRUS Solutions Rovco iXBlue Teledyne Marine about the Theseus AUV, its legacy on AUV development, SMD Blueprint Subsea Fibron Cellula Robotics and Project Spinnaker: a secret Cold War project to lay fibre QSTAR Digital Edge Subsea Aleron Subsea Kraken Robotics optic cable from the Canadian North coast to an ice-covered Forssea Robotics Zetechtics Subsea Tooling Maxon motor ToolTec OTAQ Services Rovtech Solutions listening station approximately 180 km away in the Arctic Tritech International EvoLogics Abyssal Ocean. I can also recommend that you buy his book if you are interested in learning more about the project, the development of the Theseus AUV, and the technical details. [email protected] EvoLogics.de WWW.ROVPLANET.COM Best regards, Front Page Cover Photo: Courtesy of Oceaneering Poster Photo: Aleron MultiROV Richie Enzmann Oceanology International 1-3 December 2020, London Stand C700 EVENTS CALENDAR For more information about all events visit www.rovplanet.com OCTOBER 2020 OCEANS 2020 VIRTUAL (5-14 October 2020) EURONAVAL Paris, France (20-23 October 2020) OFFSHORE ENERGY Amsterdam, Netherlands (27-29 October 2020) NOVEMBER 2020 Pressure Compensated and ADIPEC Energy Efficient VIRTUAL (9-12 November 2020) maxon thruster MATS 2020 Max. depth limit of up to 6,000 meters VIRTUAL (10-12 November 2020) High energy efficient of minimum 80 percent Long service life of up to 1,000 operation hours Compact Design UNMANNED MARITIME SYSTEMS (UMS) aquaticsolutions.maxongroup.com London, UK (25-26 November 2020) Precision Drive Systems DECEMBER 2020 OCEANOLOGY INTERNATIONAL London, UK (1-3 December 2020) WINDENERGY Hamburg, Germany (1-4 December 2020) DEEP SEA MINING SUMMIT London, UK (7-8 December 2020) UNDERSEA DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY (UDT) Rotterdam, Netherlands (8-10 December 2020) FEBRUARY 2021 OCEANOLOGY INTERNATIONAL San Diego, CA, USA (15-17 February 2021) SUBSEA EXPO Aberdeen, Scotland, UK (23-25 February 2021) ROV PLANET BUYER’S GUIDE COMING SOON! Skilltrade Hydrographic Survey Training Since 2001 Skilltrade has been sharing hydrographic knowledge and experience. We started with a two-day Introduction to Hydrography course and evolved into specifi c courses like Multibeam echosounder, DGPS, RTK, Side Scan Sonar, Sub-bottom Profi ler and Tides. Hundreds of people have been trained on these short courses to date. Since 2008 we also o er a full Hydrographic Survey Category B curriculum as defi ned by the FIG/IHO/ICA International Advisory Board on Standards of Competence for Hydrographic Surveyors (IBSC). Our Cat B training is normally an intense 30 week course (a 13 weeks e-learning programme, 1 week safety training, Handbook of 12 weeks training in The Netherlands, followed O shore Surveying by a 4 weeks Field Training Project). The series Handbook of O shore However, as the development of the Surveying Volume I, II and III is an COVID-19 pandemic is still unpredictable, we encompassing series that is unmissable saw no realistic possibility to deliver traditional for the modern day hydrographer. on-site teaching this year. With approval of the This complete set of books should be IBSC all lessons that can be delivered on-line on the desks of every hydrographic will therefore be taught using digital formats for survey company and the professionals the upcoming 25th class. Workshops, practical working for them, while it can be used assignments and exams will be held in The as reference book for daily practice in Netherlands, in line with IBSC regulations, in o shore surveying in the fi elds of projects, March 2021. preparation & processing, positioning & tides and acquisition sensors. We can o er you this modifi ed program at a substantial lower rate than our regular on-site Please visit www.skilltrade.nl/ program. With both the health and safety of the bookstore for further information or to students and sta and the IBSC regulations in purchase them on-line. mind, we trust this is an appropriate way to be become a Category B Hydrographic Surveyor Price: € 194,- per 3 volume set during this pandemic. (excluding VAT and Shipping). Interested? Visit our website or contact us at www.skilltrade.nl o [email protected] w • The subsea industry standard leak and cement detection system • Market leader since 2012 with rental pool of 100+ systems • Successfully deployed for over 50,000 offshore days • Proven, reliable, trusted – accept no substitutes! OTAQ Offshore | Aberdeen, UK +44 (0)1224 673301 | [email protected] | otaq.com OTAQ Offshore ltd is a subsidiary of OTAQ plc QUALIFYING FREEDOM OCEANEERING’S FREEDOM™ AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE HAS BEEN PUT THROUGH ITS PACES IN NORWAY TO RIGOROUSLY TEST ITS SUPERVISORY CONTROL SOFTWARE Steffan Lindsø, Subsea Robotics Product Manager, and Casey Glenn, Electrical Engineer Lead The industry has long sought a new kind of underwater drone. One that can stay subsea for longer durations without need of a support vessel, offering more flexibility, less frequent maintenance, and reduced health, safety, and environmental risks. Since 2004, Oceaneering has been at the forefront of re- mote piloting and control technology, which allows subsea vehicles such as remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to be piloted from shore.