ECA Group to Develop Deep Water AUV
French robotics and automation firm ECA Group will develop an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) that is capable of reaching a depth of 6000 meters (nearly 20,000 feet) in the water. ECA was chosen to create this AUV by French research institute Ifremer.
With the expectation of being able to perform wide coverage acoustic mapping and optical inspection by hovering close to the sea floor, the AUV is expected to make its first dives in 2019.
“The system will deploy a full range of scientific sensors in modular packages, innovating in design optimization, autonomy, payload volume and navigation capabilities,” says Jan Opderbecke through an ECA Group media release. Opderbecke is the head of the Underwater Systems Unit in Toulon, where Ifremer facilities are located.
“The AUV will facilitate producing accurately georeferenced, wide area, high resolution and multi parameter representations of deepwater marine environments.”
Ifremer will oversee the development of the AUV and its associated equipment. It will also develop the control system for the AUV to make sure that it meets the current and future needs of scientific end users.
Once developed, the AUV will be used to work with other vessels, such as Ifremer’s Victor 6000, which is a remotely operated underwater vehicle, and the Nautile manned submersible. Currently, technology is being developed to allow the AUV to communicate in real time with other underwater vehicles and exchange data.
Claude Cazaoulou, Director of Sales and Business Development from ECA Group Robotics Division in Toulon, says, “the association of long endurance survey and low altitude hovering capabilities will have high potential in various fields of application.”
“For future commercialization by ECA Group of this AUV branded A6K, the system specifications are particularly interesting for missions such as deep sea mining survey, oil / gas pipeline inspections, rescue missions and mineral resource exploration.”
Through working with Ifremer, ECA will also become the prime partner in the CORAL Alliance (Cooperative Off-shore Robotics Alliance), which was created by Ifremer. The project is meant to connect ocean science to the marine industry, through encouraging innovation and competitiveness in an integrated concept.
