Page 12: of Marine Technology Magazine (April 2018)

ROVs from any direction. FLO also boasts half the height and half the weight of a ability on a short 50m tether. This mode 50% faster survey times compared to typical Work Class ROV. Coupled with allows a calculated maximum speed of conventional work class ROVs and is eight open water vectored thrusters and 5.6 Knots in depths over 2,000m.

capable of signi? cantly extending the SMD’s advanced ROV control automa- operational window in areas where high tion, FLO is able to accurately navigate FET’s New XLe Spirit currents are prevalent, especially within and remain stable at high speeds while Forum Energy Technologies launched the renewables sector. close to the seabed. a new electric remotely operated vehicle

From concept to manufacture, the new FLO can also be operated in free swim- (EROV) range. Designed and manufac- high-speed ROV by SMD, has been de- ming mode for shallow water and uses tured in-house at Forum’s Kirkbymoor- signed around the latest sensor payloads a tether management system (TMS) in side Yorkshire facility, the XLe Spirit is it would be tasked to carry in order to deeper water. Although travelling at the company’s ? rst of a new generation perform offshore, while also providing high speed creates drag on the ROV um- of electric ROVs. the most stable and acoustically quiet bilical, in water depths of 500m in free The vehicle is the smallest in the new platform possible to gather quality sur- swimming mode, FLO has the power to range but is powerful enough to perform vey data. achieve speeds greater than 4 knots. subsea maintenance and repair work

In order to provide this level of per- When using a TMS for deep water op- with the use of its optional electric or formance, FLO uses SMD’s advanced eration, the umbilical drag is transferred hydraulic ? ve function manipulator

ROV drivetrain technology in a low to the surface vessel allowing the high arm. The vehicle’s self-regulating pow- pro? le hydrodynamic package less than speed ROV a high degree of maneuver- er feature compensates for tether losses

Blue Robotics

Blue Robotics 2018 April 12 MTR

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