ocEAN iNSTRUMENTS
SNAPIR AUV (3000m)
Delivered in 2017, the ECA robotics A18D is a state-of-the-art deep water AUV, capable of rapidly and acuratly mapping large areas of the sea floor. The autonomous vehicle carries several sensors as its payload, among them an interferometric synthetic aperture sonar (SAS), sub-bottom profiler, video 3D camera and water quality sensors. Additional payloads can be integrated in a dedicated "open" section which can optionally be mounted on the vehicle. Rated to 3000 meter depth, the AUV can operate near the seabed in most of the Mediterranean, and the entirety of Israel's EEZ.
YOna ROV (3000m)
The SAAB Seaeye Leopard is a powerful electric work class ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle). Delivered in November 2016, the vehicle is the only one of its kind in Israel. In its current* configuration, it is able to work on the seabed at water depths of up to 2000 meters. It carries cameras, lights, a hydraulic manipulator, and can be fitted with various scientific equipment. An ROV allows observing and interacting with objects on the seabed at depths not accessible to human divers.
*While rated to 3000m, available tether length on the winch limits operations to 2000m. Future upgrade to a larger winch and longer tether would allow working down to full depth rating.
Alice
Alice is an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and was conceived in the Underwater Robotics Research Centre (CIRS) of the University of Girona (Spain). It is a lightweight hovering vehicle with mission-specific payload area and efficient hydrodynamics for long autonomy in shallow water (200 meters).
We are currently working on several projects with the SPARUS: visual survey of the seafloor for high resolution mapping, a forward looking sonar and forward looking camera path planning and obstacle avoidance algorithm and a robust launch and recovery operation of AUV with a deployable docking station concept.