Page 15: of Marine Technology Magazine (March 2021)

KONGSBERG

AUTONOMOUS SOLUTIONS

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FOR ECOSYSTEM MONITORING

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Kongsberg Maritime is to deliver two Sounder USVs and two AUVs for the Institute of Marine 0LFUR86%/7UDFNLQJ%HDFRQV

Research. The delivery includes an innovative new system for onboard classi? cation and remote %LGLUHFWLRQDO$FRXVWLF'DWD0RGHPV sensor operation.

Photo courtesyKongsberg

Kongsberg Maritime reached an following in the late summer/early agreement to supply Norway’s Insti- autumn of 2022. The AUVs are depth- tute of Marine Research (IMR) with rated to 1,500m and are equipped with four autonomous vessels: two Kongs- a payload for environmental monitor- berg Maritime Sounder USVs and two ing and seabed mapping. The IMR

Kongsberg AUVs. The four vehicles USVs will be equipped with a full will form the practical basis of the in- EK80 wideband system accommodat- stitute’s long-term strategy to develop ing ADCP functionality, similar to the the monitoring and management of setup on their existing research ves- marine environments and resources. sels. Control and navigation of both

The vessels will be equipped with AUVs and the Sounder USVs can be 3RUWDEOH6LGHVFDQ6RQDUV

Kongsberg’s new Blue Insight, a handled just by a single interface. 7RZHG2(0+XOODQG3ROH0RXQWHG cloud-based ecosystem designed to “As we embark on the next stage facilitate remote instrument operation, in this project, we are happy to do data visualization and smart manage- so alongside Kongsberg Maritime,” ment of oceanographic and meteoro- said Sissel Rogne, CEO, IMR. “We logical data. Infrastructure for auto- are seeing a wide range of changes mated classi? cation of ? sh through in our coastal and ocean ecosystems machine learning is a key feature of – and these changes happen fast. In the delivery, consolidating the long- response to this, we must streamline running partnership between Kongs- and increase our management efforts. berg and the IMR towards the goal (Kongsberg’s) USVs and AUVs will of implementing seagoing drones for initially work alongside our traditional ecosystem management. research vessels in an ‘armada strat-

The Kongsberg AUVs are scheduled egy,’ but will subsequently operate

ILQGRXWPRUH for delivery this year, with the USVs more independently as we expand.”

ZZZEOXHSULQWVXEVHDFRP www.marinetechnologynews.com

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