Blue Robotics Ping360 Sonar – RS Aqua

The Blue Robotics Ping360 Sonar is a mechanical scanning imaging sonar. It’s designed primarily to be used on the BlueROV2 and other ROVs for navigation in low-visibility water conditions, but it’s also suited for applications such as inspection, obstacle avoidance, target location and tracking, autonomous systems development, and more! It has a 50 meter (165 foot) range, 300 meter (984 foot) depth rating, and an open-source software interface that makes it a capable tool for ROV navigation and underwater acoustic imaging.

Key Features

•   Compact but powerful – Measuring a max diameter of only 80 mm, Ping360 is depth-rated up to 300 m and features an open-source user interface and Arduino, C++, and Python development libraries

•   Purpose built –  Operating an acoustic frequency of 750 kHz, the Ping360 has a beam width of 2 degrees horizontally and 25 degrees vertically. The bottom has dour M3 mounting holes and interfaces with the included mounting bracket so it can easily be installed on the BlueROV2 or on other devices

•   Rugged Design – Designed with an oil-filled section at the top that houses the acoustic transducer and an air-filled section at the bottom. It has an anodized aluminum case and a 1 meter (3.3 feet) cable with a pre-installed WetLink penetrator

•   Easy connection – The included header pin to JST-GH adapter makes it easy to plug into the USB to Serial and RS485 Adapter. The sonar can be powered from any clean 11-25 V power source and it communicates via USB, RS485, or Ethernet.

Like the Ping Sonar, the Ping360 connects to the open-source application Ping-Viewer, developed specifically for Ping devices. Ping-Viewer runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux and makes it easy to view the output, record data, and change settings by connecting the Ping360 directly or through the onboard computer on the BlueROV2 .

FAQs

Can the minimum range of 0.75m be further reduced?

The minimum range is a consequence of the “ringing” of the transducer. The transducer is acting like a bell, and it takes some time for the transducer to stop making noise after the pulse is over. Any possible returns in that time would get masked by this ringing. Reducing the minimum range would require redesigning the sonar.

Does the Ping360 work in air?

No – when operating in air the transmitted pulses are reflected back in by the walls of the transducer, so the sensor can operate but will not show meaningful readings.

If you’re interested there’s a more detailed explanation here.

For more on the Ping360 sonar, including user forums, technical guides, and code examples please visit the Blue Robotics website.