Rowe Technologies SeaPilot DVL delivered to Saab Seaeye

Saab Seaeye Leopard ROV

Saab Seaeye have announced the sale of one of their Leopard ROV systems to a University client. Integrated onto this highly capable Leopard ROV, is a Rowe Technologies SeaPilot Dopper Velocity Log (DVL) supplied by RS Aqua. The Leopard platform will provide a key resource for the recently opened deep-sea research centre at the university. No equivalent vehicle exists within the region; meaning this purchase will provide the University with some unique operational capabilities.

Rowe Technologies SeaPilot DVL

The SeaPilot DVL provides essential navigation information and facilitates the vehicle’s station keeping capabilities. Measurements of the vehicle’s speed over the bottom are made acoustically utilising Doppler shift methodology. These measurements are then fed directly into the ROVs control system for display and use in automated controls.

RS Aqua have been working closely with the engineering team at Saab to make the integration process as smooth as possible. This involved the provision of a demonstration unit, full technical support, and a number of site visits with Saab Seaeye by RS Aqua personnel. This demonstration unit was integrated onto a number of Saab’s vehicles and put through rigorous performance testing to assess the SeaPilot’s capabilities.

The results of this testing were very positive, with the SeaPilot performing excellently on the Seaeye vehicles. With station keeping activated, the vehicle experienced no noticeable drift over a long duration and exceeded the stated zero-offset value on the data sheet by a considerable margin. The ±2mm/s zero offset stated by Rowe Technologies is a worst-case value and therefore not indicative of the real-world performance of the SeaPilot in the vast majority of cases.

For more information on Rowe Technologies SeaPilot DVL, please click HERE

Image Credits: Saab Seaeye Ltd