Page 50: of Marine Technology Magazine (March 2020)

Tech Files

GorillaGorilla

ROVROV

Built to be robust, reliable in the demanding of shore sector openhagen Subsea launched a new powerful is based on Copenhagen

The Gorilla ROV

Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), speci? cally

Subsea’s Rim-driven thruster, technology which, com- developed for the offshore industry. The ROV bined with industrial electronics from Japan’s OMRON, is based on Copenhagen Subsea’s rim-driven gives a high level of reliability. The use of eight thrust-

Cthruster technology and is designed to be robust ers gives the Gorilla ROV the ability to keep its position and reliable in challenging environments – qualities which in- in strong currents.

spired us to name it the Gorilla.

In fact, reliability has been ? rst and foremost throughout the design and development of the Gorilla. By basing the ROV on industrial components, Copenhagen Subsea was seeking to The Gorilla can sense the sea? oor from up to 70 meters above, ensure the utmost operational reliability. enabling the DP system to keep it in the required position,

The Gorilla is equipped as standard with an intelligent Dy- even should the operator take hands off the controls. namic Positioning (DP) system, enabling automatic control This solves another common problem during launch of con- of position, depth, altitude, heading, pitch and roll. A lack ventional ROVs, when the current can quickly push it away of thrusters can be a problem in ROV design, which makes from the vessel, leaving the operator disoriented and without it impossible to control the pitch and roll of the vehicle and knowledge of its exact location or where to steer to reach its thus hard for the operator to keep it stable during operations. destination. This can often lead to an abandoned mission, ne-

Even weak currents can cause some ROVs to tilt and the op- cessitating a second attempt or a wait for conditions to im- erator to lose control of the vehicle, potentially leading even prove. Instead, the Gorilla will use its DP system to instantly to the abandonment of the mission and recovery of the ROV. adjust the output of its eight thrusters to maintain position

By contrast, the Gorilla’s DP system makes it easy to operate relative to the seabed, meaning the operator can easily steer to the vehicle even in low visibility and strong currents. This is the designated destination. Copenhagen Subsea said the ROV based on an advanced sensor system, which delivers input to can carry up to 70 kg and it has an easy to understand payload the DP system to constantly adjust output of the ROV’s eight interface with a power supply and separate ? ber cable connec- thrusters in a ? y-by-wire system to keep it stable in the water. tion, dedicated to the customer speci? c requirement.

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