Unmanned Systems Technology 008 | Alti Transition UAS | Ground control systems | Xponential 2016 report | Insitu Orbital N20 | UAVs | Solar power | Oceanology International 2016 report

88 Show report | Oceanology International 2016 customisation of platforms without requiring a gel coating or hand work on the finish. Also, wear and tear is not as noticeable when compared with a gel-coated glass-reinforced plastic, as the colour is integral to the material. ABS can also allow for a stronger adhesive bond, aiding manufacturability and customisation. Navigation and telemetry systems are provided by Hitec, with 2.4 GHz FHSS and a 1200 m range for the remote navigation system. Data telemetry operates up to 2 km away on 5 GHz MIMO, or 4G LTE may be used for worldwide coverage. The craft can use 30-40 Ah lithium- ion or NiMH batteries with a maximum endurance of 4.5 hours, and standard operating speed is about 3-3.5 knots with 8 knots as top speed, powered by dual brushless 24 V dc outdrives. iXBlue launched its new INS for ROV pilots performing maintenance and construction tasks. Designed for ROV navigation with integration of either iXBlue or third- party sensors, the Rovins Nano claims greater positioning accuracy compared with DVLs owing to its integrated inertial navigation system algorithm, capable of collecting acoustic data regardless of depth. Position accuracy can be further enhanced through navigation with a DVL, or by station-keeping with DVL or acoustic systems. “In the future it will no longer be necessary to use a DVL. Even in ‘sparse array’ long baseline fields, the combination of the Rovins Nano system and iXBlue Ramses acoustic synthetic baseline positioning system enables extremely accurate positioning data,” said Paul Wysocki. The 10 kg cylindrical device (6 kg in water) interfaces with the control system over a 100 Mbit Ethernet connection or an RS-232/422 serial interface at up to 200 Hz. It can operate from -20 to +55 C and is resistant to shocks, vibrations and harsh environments with high pressures, low temperatures or pollution. Dynamic heading recordings are accurate to 0.5 º , and to 0.1 º on the roll and pitch of the vehicle. Communications and up to 24 V of power (dc) are supplied through three 12-pin Seacon Mini-Con connectors and one 26-pin Micro Mini-Con connector located atop the titanium housing. TSL Technology has developed a 1 kW bidirectional thruster, the latest addition to its range of submersible propulsors for AUVs, small and work-class ROVs, and manned underwater systems. The new 150 mm marine-grade aluminium system provides 105 N of symmetric thrust at 300 W (or 237 N at 1 kW) forwards or in reverse, having been engineered from the ground up and optimised using advanced CFD techniques. “Robust, automated and extensively validated RANS codes enabled the co-optimisation of motor, duct and propeller performance,” added TSL’s Aleksander J Dubas. An electric rim drive has been integrated into the housing of the thruster, resulting in a compact low-maintenance design with a single rotating part, using no gearbox, coupling or space- consuming inline motor. Externally, the thruster is 208 mm in diameter and 200 mm in length, and the system weighs 7.7 kg above water and 4.5 kg in fresh water. The system also uses sensorless controllers, eliminating the need for Hall effect sensors (or other shaft position sensors) and requiring only a single 60 V dc power supply cable. Atlantas Marine showcased a new offering aimed at making cathodic protection (CP) surveys quicker and easier. The CP video overlay unit consists of a small black box that can be quickly interfaced with the cathodic measurement probe and video display of any ROV. When an ROV is driven against a hull or June/July 2016 | Unmanned Systems Technology TSL’s new thruster provides 105 N of thrust at 300 W Teledyne’s Z-Boat has a modular deck for mounting cameras and antennae