Unmanned Systems Technology 026 I Tecdron TC800-FF I Propellers I USVs I AUVSI 2019 part 1 I Robby Moto UAVE I Singular Aircraft FlyOx I Teledyne SeaRaptor I Simulation & Testing I Ocean Business 2019 report

96 to 200 kHz and water penetration of up to 1.5 Secchi depths. “This requires a suitable wavelength for the laser to penetrate into the water: ours operates in the visible green range of the light spectrum. And we had to select a highly sensitive receiver with a significant aperture to collect as much of the echo signal as possible – which is very weak as it returns from the seafloor – otherwise you wouldn’t be able to produce useful bathymetry measurements. “Robust signal processing algorithms are also as important as these sensitive optoelectronics.” The system typically consumes 110 W and features an integrated GNSS-IMU and camera for geo-referencing and fusing of bathymetry data with additional sensor inputs. The company also showcased its latest unmanned aircraft, the RiCopter-M UAV, an eight-rotor system designed to serve as a carrier for the VQ-840-G and other Riegl laser scanners. The aircraft has a maximum payload capacity of 15 kg and a MTOW of 40 kg, with a 20-minute endurance when at full carrying capacity. CHC Navigation launched its P2 series of GNSS modules, and exhibited them at the show for applications such as unmanned maritime system navigation. “In the UK, we also run a network of RTK base stations, supplying real- time kinematic correction signals to our customers,” commented PJ Walker. “Much of the work on the P2 series was borne out of our experience of developing and optimising that network, and we’d long had requests for something suitable for larger USVs in need of accurately geo-referenced survey data from various different payloads.” The P2 unit comes with 336 channels and compatibility with GPS L5, GLONASS L3, Galileo E6, BeiDou B3, as well as the older GNSS constellations, along with the latest QZSS and SBAS functionality. With RTK, longitudinal positioning is 8 mm +1 ppm RMS, and latitudinal position is accurate to 15 mm +1 ppm RMS. In addition to the standard version, the P2 Pro version comes with a dual-antenna input for generating heading data, while the P2 Elite integrates additional 4G and UHF modems for broader comms functionality and redundancy. The P2 measures 162 x 120 x 53 mm and weighs about 1 kg, with a typical power consumption of 2.7 W running off a 9-36 V DC supply. Iqua Robotics displayed its latest unmanned subsea survey vehicle, the Sparus II AUV. It comes with an open ROS architecture to enable users with scientific, academic and industrial applications to write custom behaviours into its autopilot for specific missions and operations. As Natalia Hurtos told us, “It differs slightly from the typical ‘torpedo-type’ AUV design in that its three-thruster configuration allows it to hover at a single point underwater, which is useful when you need to gather concentrated imagery from a specific part of the seabed.” Two of the thrusters sit on opposite sides of the rear section of the AUV for forward propulsion up to 3 knots (as well as manoeuvring), with a vertically oriented thruster mounted into a tunnel in the centre of the aluminium and acetal hull for hovering. All three are made in-house. “It also has an 8 litre payload capacity – about 7 kg in air – within the nose, to ensure flexibility in the types of sensors users can install and the types of missions they can carry out,” Hurtos said. “We integrated the cameras, multi- beam sonars and side-scan sonars. The system is open and simple, which allows customers to integrate equipment themselves.” The Sparus II has a maximum endurance of 8 to 10 hours, and when surfaced it uses a wi-fi connection to transmit and receive commands, as well as a GNSS antenna and an indicator light fixed atop the rear hull. Septentrio displayed its range of maritime GNSS solutions, including the AsteRx-U multi-constellation, multi- frequency receiver, which is used on iXblue’s DriX USVs and major dredging ships around the world. “The advantage with the AsteRx-U comes from its compatibility with all June/July 2019 | Unmanned Systems Technology The Sparus II from Iqua Robotics has a three-thruster configuration