Hydroid Integrates HISAS 2040 Module onto REMUS 600 Unmanned Underwater Vehicle.

The in-mission processor allows real-time processing of HISAS data, allowing operators to download high-resolution images immediately when the vehicle returns from its mission.

A Hydroid REMUS 600 unmanned underwater vehicle is pictured fitted with an HISAS 2040 synthetic aperture sonar (Picture source: Hydroid)

Hydroid, Inc., a subsidiary of Kongsberg Maritime and a leading manufacturer of marine robotics systems, announced they have integrated an in-mission processor on a REMUS 600 Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) with the KONGSBERG High-Resolution Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Sonar (HISAS) 2040 for a customer. By integrating the in-mission processing, the high-resolution images from the HISAS module can be quickly downloaded when the vehicle returns from its mission. High-Resolution Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Sonar (HISAS) 2040

HISAS 2040 provides up to 2cm by 2cm resolution across a 300-meter swath. When combined with the onboard EM2040 it provides a complete, gap-filled image. Synthetic aperture sonar uses algorithms to synthetically lengthen the aperture, providing consistent resolution across the entire swath, both along and across the track, as opposed to traditional real aperture side scan sonars. Because of the high resolution of HISAS, the files are very large and can take several hours to download.

With the in-mission processor, HISAS data are processed and compressed in real-time along with the navigation data, allowing immediate download of the sonar imagery when the vehicle returns from its mission through a 10 Gb Ethernet switch. This is ideal for time-sensitive missions like mine countermeasures, where faster data access means safer, more efficient operations. Other HISAS applications include hydrographic surveys, pipeline inspection and rapid environmental assessment.

“The integration is the first of its kind at Hydroid, allowing faster processing of data to shorten post-mission analysis timelines,” said Duane Fotheringham, President of Hydroid. “We’re excited to offer this as an option to customers who have time-sensitive missions but also need the high-resolution data of the HISAS module.”

To integrate the in-mission processing onto the vehicle, two powerful processors were added to the module. With this solution, customers can rapidly obtain the quality data they need, increasing their operational flexibility and assisting with improved decision making.