THE OTTER
UNMANNED SURFACE VEHICLE [USV]
COST-EFFECTIVE AND RISK-REDUCING MARITIME DATA ACQUISITION
THE PORTABLE USV SYSTEM
We focus on quality.
The Otter Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) is an easily deployable turn-key system for seabed mapping and monitoring of sheltered waters.
We focus on performance.
The Otter is the smallest member of our USV family. With a footprint of only 200 x 108 x 81.5cm and a weight of 55 kg, it is an easily deployable asset that can be transported in a van or even within normal airliners to the survey site. It can be disassembled into parts weighing less than 20 kg, a single operator can launch the Otter from a jetty, lake, riverside or beach.
The Otter's robust catamaran design and the tightly integrated bathymetric survey sensors make this system a cost-effective turn-key solution for bathymetric surveys in sheltered waters such as small lakes, canals, rivers, ponds and harbor areas.
The Otter is controlled via a graphical user interface: Maritime Robotics' vehicle control station (VCS) or a mobile phone app. The app provides manual joystick-like control, while VCS has several control modes, such as course and speed control, heading control, or waypoint control. For waypoint control, the operator can easily plan missions consisting of individual waypoints, or use templates for creating common patterns such as lawnmower surveys. Furthermore, live monitoring of sensor data quality parameters and visualization of actual data are provided in VCS, and sensor parameters can be adjusted in VCS as well. The Otter can carry a variety of customer defined sensors for seabed and environmental mapping. Quality control and monitoring of the sensor performance and coverage area are performed via the Vehicle Control Station (VCS).
The autonomous future is electric, and the Otter is equipped with electric thrusters that are powered by 4 powerful and easily interchangeable battery packs. This gives the Otter a best-in-class endurance for its size. The battery solution is built upon off the shelf componets, providing easy access to spare parts locally, all over the world.
FOOTAGE.
INDUSTRIES
Solutions & Potential Applications
Geophysical & Hydrographical Surveys
Geophysical Mapping, Bathymetric Mapping, Seismic Surveys, Shallow Water Hydrography, Underwater Archaeology
Environmental Assessment & Aquaculture
Environmental Monitoring, Algal Monitoring, Habitat Mapping, Fisheries & Aquatic Habitat Assessment
Defense & Security
Bathymetric mapping, Mine Countermeasures, Harbor Wall and Seabed Surveys, Port & Harbor Security
SEABED MAPPING.
Have you seen our coverage in the Seabed Gazette?
The magazine covers our Otter USV and its relevance in a world heading towards an autonomous future. One of the main draws of the Otter is its ability to provide access to places that are hard to reach with larger boats and ships such as small lakes, water reservoirs, artificial ponds, remote areas and protected areas. Our vehicle has repeatedly proven itself to excel in such areas as can be seen in the example of a Water Reservoir survey conducted with Terratec AS and Norbit.
OTTER SPECIFICATIONS.
OTTER COMPONENTS.
ELECTRIC
The Otter is equipped with electric thrusters that are powered by up to 4 powerful and easily interchangeable battery packs. This gives the Otter a best-in-class endurance for its size. The Otter is also easily separated into parts for smoother transport.
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING
Knowledge and data from our oceans are crucial for a sustainable future. Unmanned Surface Vehicles can carry oceanographic sensors in ways that have been too expensive or risky.
AUV AND ROV OPERATIONS
Robots helping other robots is the next frontier. With the cost-effective capabilities of having a USV as a communication relay and support platform on the sea-surface, underwater Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) operations can be made possible.
VEHICLE CONTROL STATION
Sensor and payload data can be monitored in the Vehicle Control Station. Multibeam data, swath width, coverage area, and quality parameters can be displayed in real-time on an intuitive user interface.
PAYLOADS
The Otter can carry a variety of customer defined sensors for seabed and environmental mapping. Sensors such as ADCP, CTD, fluorometers and hyper spectral imagers along with ultra compact single beam and multi beam sonar systems can be easily and cost-effectively integrated. This makes the Otter a turn-key bathymetric survey system for sheltered waters.