Osbit, the subsea engineering and technology company, has successfully delivered two bespoke subsystems for an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), operated by subsea and seabed intervention company Modus.
Osbit has designed and manufactured a floating launch dock and a sea parking garage to meet Modus’s launch and recovery requirements for its Saab Sabertooth hybrid AUV, a lightweight underwater platform used for survey, inspection and other light intervention tasks.
Osbit’s floating launch dock, which is suitable for use when the AUV is both tethered and untethered, enables the operator to deploy the vehicle and also return it to the deck of the ship. The dock is submerged in the sea as the AUV leaves and returns, and partially fills with air to allow collection from the water surface.
The subsea parking garage provides a safe haven for the AUV when not operational and allows the operator to deploy the AUV at a specific location without having to maintain a presence there. When it has completed its automated tasks, the AUV returns to the garage and safely awaits recovery at a time convenient for the operator.
Osbit Managing Director Brendon Hayward said: “The ability of our team to deliver bespoke subsystems for AUVs and other submersible vehicles shows Osbit’s skill in working at the cutting edge of subsea technologies. Advancements in automation are crucial to the energy industry and its supply chain’s drive for efficiency, which in turn are key to its long term sustainability.
“We are pleased to have supported Modus in expanding its AUV capability, part of its already extensive range of subsea vehicles. As the technology used offshore develops and improves, so does our capability at Osbit, which ensures that our customers stay ahead of the curve.”