MBARI Orders an SMD Hydrovision ROV to Replace Tiburon

Sea Technology, Aug 2007

Tyne, Hngland-based SMD Hydrovision (SMDH) recently announced that the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) purchased a bespoke version of the Quantum work-class remotely operated vehicle (ROV) as a replacement for its existing Tiburon ROV. The new ROV will be installed on the research vessel Western Elyer, which is a dynamically positioned small waterplane area. twin-hull vessel with a dedicated moon pool for launch and recovery of the ROV.

The replacement ROV system will operate to a depth of 4.000 meters, provide more thrust and payload for scientific equipment compared to the Tiburon and include automatic control features. Altitude and heading, auto hold. step. hume, track and route will he included in the suite of automatic routines that will he used as an aid to the ROV pilot and will provide dynamic positioning of the ROV. The distributed virtual environment collaborative simulator control system and a Curvetech hydraulic propulsion system. designed and manufactured by SMDH and used on all its underwater equipment, will be configured to meet the MBARI ROV specifications.

"The development of this advanced ROV will provide the next generation of underwater platform for scientific study of the ocean." said Dale Graves. ROV program manager for MBARI. "SMDH ROV equipment and subassemblies are suited for our application and their flexibility allows the ROV to be cost-effectively configured to meet the requirements of MBARI."