Page 45: of Marine Technology Magazine (July 2010)

Saab Seaeye 20 Brunel Way

Segensworth East

Fareham, Hampshire, PO15 5SD, UK

Tel: +44(0)1489 898 000 rovs@ seaeye.com • www.seaeye.com

Managing Director: Dave Grant

Sales Director: Matt Bates

Engineering Director: Jon Robertson

Testing Facilities: An in-company pressure test tank facility is installed at the company’s 24,000 sq ft factory, with an available test tank resource for hydrodynamic testing and trimming, together with product development trialling.

Saab Seaeye claims it is the world’s largest manufacturer of electric ROV systems. Accredited to DNV ISO 9001,

Saab Seaeye is a leading supplier of electric ROVs to the oil and gas industry, and a major ROV resource for defense forces, marine science and hydro-engineering.

Its parent company, Saab Underwater Systems is a leader in sensor systems, precision engagement systems, and remotely operated and autonomous underwater vehicles.

Saab Seaeye employs 100 people and has a turnover of $36 million. The company is represented and supported in 28 countries around the world. Founded in 1986, Seaeye has pioneered many innovations in the ROV industry. These include: • Brushless DC thrusters • Polypropylene chassis • Carbon fibre electronics pod • Distributed intelligence • Modular control system • Dual fault-tolerant self-diagnostic redundancy • High frequency power distribution • Simplified man/machine interface • Thruster controlled TMS for electric systems

More than 500 ROV systems have been sold by the company. They are fitted with a range of standard and cus- tom designed tooling that includes cameras, manipulators, survey sensors, cutters, tracking systems, sonar, torque tools and water jetting. The company also designs and manufactures a range of ROV handling devices including

Tether Management Systems.

The breadth of capability in the range offers an ROV system suitable for subsea tasks across the oil and gas spec- trum, and in other sectors.

Technologically, the Saab Seaeye range comes in size, power and tasking options that extend from the easily man-handled Falcon ROV, to the muscular and pioneer- ing work-class Jaguar, rated to 6000m.

Breakthrough concepts have created new control and power distribution systems currently migrating from the flagship Jaguar throughout appropriate ROVs in the range. The new systems include complete dual-redundan- cy that allows a failed component to be isolated and the

ROV kept working. Also an intelligent three-mode dis- tributed plug and go control system that manages each on-board device – thrusters, lights, tools etc – with the first mode controlling the device; the second diagnostics; and the third software updates. An innovative high fre- quency 800Hz power system has cut the size of the ROV’s on-board transformer by 80% and cut the vehicle’s power to weight ratio.

Voltage is also boosted to 3000V to feed onboard sys- tems, so that the diameter of the umbilical and tether cables are minimized. This reduces winch drum size and tether drag through the water. Another new development that solves the problem of multiple ROV deployment under a single vessel and the risk of entanglement, is to fit powerful thrusters to each ROV’s Tether Management

System so it can hold position automatically whilst its

ROV carries out its task and remains orientated ready for recovery of the ROV onto the cage.

RANGE outline • Falcon Portable ROV for rapid deployment. Rated 300 and 1000m, with a one to one power to weight ratio. • Tiger Observation ROV. Rated 1000m • Lynx Rated 1500m • Cougar XT Powerful and compact observation package with underslung skid able to handle work tasks at lower cost with heavy duty tooling. Four vectors thrusters and two vertical thrusters. Rated 2000mCougar XTi - New concept ROV with self-diagnostics and modular control system. Rated 3000m • Panther XT Rated 1500m • Jaguar The largest in the range. An electric work class

ROV with full redundancy and rated to 3000m with option to 6000m.

Grant

Top of range Jaguar is the an advanced electric ROV. www.seadiscovery.com Marine Technology Reporter 45

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