Page 47: of Marine Technology Magazine (November 2022)

cross the globe companies have the need to perform ac- curate hydrographic surveys to ensure their marine assets are properly maintained and any issues quickly discov-

A ered and acted upon. Traditionally inspection work has been performed from medium sized and manned vessels. Utilizing the small size, weight, and power consumption of the NORBIT

WINGHEAD i77h it is an ideal match with unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). This ensures that maintenance of quay walls, bridges, and subsea structures in general, can be done in a cheaper, safer, and more environmentally friendly manner than before.

In past years NORBIT´s small sonar systems have allowed us to utilize unconventional vessels to test our equipment, includ- ing kayaks and jet-skis. We have done this to ensure systems are user friendly and easy to handle. In recent years, with the growth of USVs, combining our sonars with these vessels is the next step in ensuring the NORBIT sonars can be utilized in a simple, cost-ef? cient, safe, and environmentally friendly manner. The NORBIT WINGHEAD is speci? cally developed for high-resolution inspections on any subsea structure, in- cluding quay walls, bridges, oil platforms and so-on. USVs are typically small, lightweight with limited power and endurance.

To maintain ef? ciency most of these need a multibeam sys- tem which does not increase draft and drag, and a system with as low power consumption as possible. The NORBIT WING-

HEAD complies with all these requirements and has become a preferred choice for many USV manufacturers and operators.

When looking at utilizing USVs to undertake various inspec- tion and hydrographic surveys, NORBIT recognizes that small and easy to use systems are crucial for success. A USV opera- tor is busy controlling the vessel, monitoring survey progress, looking out for other boats etc., so the sonar needs to be virtual- ly autonomous and not require a lot of attention. NORBIT have put a signi? cant effort into the WINGHEAD-family, creating a virtually hands-free system. This allows the operator to focus on other tasks than ? ddling with advanced sonar controls. The

NORBIT WINGHEAD is also designed to be extremely por- table and to allow for rapid mobilization on any platform. It is delivered in a single pelican case ready for easy transportation and safe to transport in the aircraft hold. It comes with several optional features such as full motion stabilization (roll, pitch, and yaw). In addition, the system can be combined with an op- tional LiDAR, which, when the two are combined gives a full picture of the infrastructure, a seamless surface of the topogra- phy below and above the waterline. This provides context for the multibeam data, and aids interpretation of the results.

Collaboration with Ultrabeam Hydrographic

One company which specializes in delivering high-quality hydrographic and geophysical survey services to a wide range of clients, is Ultrabeam Hydrographic. From day one they have focused on speci? c and revolutionary methods of conducting hydrographic surveys utilizing USVs to perform these special- ist surveys and inspections. They deduct that using USVs is much more ef? cient than many traditional methods, and espe- cially safer when operating in hazardous conditions. www.marinetechnologynews.com 47

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