What's New At Saab Seaeye (2008)
 

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16 April 2008

SMART ROV TO RECOVER ARTEFACTS

Delicately removing artefacts from the seabed is one task of many for the brand new Saab Seaeye Panther XT.

First to take delivery of this new generation of smart and powerful underwater vehicles is the RPM Nautical Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to using state-of-the-art technology in the advancement of research into nautical archaeology. Their new Seaeye Panther XT is packed with leading-edge technology.

It will give them finger-tip manoeuvrability in strong cross currents for the delicate recovery of artefacts, and holding steady whilst filming. A special low-pressure water jet is also fitted to gently uncover valuable items without damage. Innovative thruster design lies at the heart of this new class of underwater vehicle. Saab Seaeye engineers have maintained the same thrust horizontally and doubled it vertically whilst cutting the number of thrusters on board from ten to six. This frees valuable space within the vehicle for even more tooling and sensor packages, all of which can be readily added and changed as needed. This flexibility has enabled equipment from the Foundation's previous ROV to be retro-fitted to their new Panther XT.		click image to enlarge 'Delicate nautical archaeological recovery and filming is now possible with leading edge technology in-built into the Seaeye Panther XT.'

click image to enlarge 'Typical of the items to be recovered is this pot, believed Roman that was used aboard a vessel shipwrecked off Sicily.'

For the Foundation, the Panther XT’s greater power also means that more powerful tooling can be used and heavier items lifted from the seafloor. It also offers faster ascent and descent within the ROV’s 1500 metres working depth. A tether management system (TMS), used for the launch and recover of the ROV, is part of the new system. Fitted with lights and cameras, the TMS can operate as an additional survey platform and observe the ROV whilst at work.

The Seaeye Panther XT brings a valuable new resource to the RPM Nautical Foundation. Based in Florida and Malta, the Foundation offers underwater technology and research vessels to Governments for archaeological studies around their shores, and to marine archaeological organisations to aid in their own research. In addition, the Foundation is a valuable education and training facility for students of marine studies.

click image to enlarge

'The R/V Hercules shown here off Valletta, Malta is a self-sufficient base for research operations including deployment of ROVs, manned submersibles, sonar systems and diving operations. It has a dynamic positioning system and onboard data processing centre.'

Saab Seaeye is the world’s leading manufacturer of electric ROVs to the oil and gas industry, defence, hydro resources and marine science.

For more information:
David Grant
Saab Seaeye Ltd.
+44 1329 289000


www.seaeye.com

George Robb
RPM Nautical Foundation
+1 305 294 3400

www.rpmnautical.org

21 February 2008

JAGUAR ATTACK

In a direct attack on the hydraulic ROV market, Saab Seaeye has launched an innovative new concept in electric work ROVs. Called the Seaeye Jaguar, it is now the largest in their range and the most advanced of its type in the world.

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Jaguar - an innovative new concept in work ROVs

Its launch marks the introduction of an entirely new generation of electric underwater vehicles with technological innovations set to maintain the company’s lead in the electric ROV market.

The Seaeye Jaguar has the highest payload and thrust in its class, with a clever new simplified control system that makes it easy to pilot.

At under half the weight of its hydraulic ROV equivalent, with a smaller footprint, and needing fewer operators, the Seaeye Jaguar can bring significant savings in operating costs.

With a power to weight ratio that is by far the best in its class, the Jaguar will bring the precise control associated with Seaeye’s ROV technology to an ever wider range of heavy duty work tasks.

Operators will also welcome the faster training of new pilots and conversion of experienced pilots that is now possible with the new simplified control system. Its built-in intelligence, with fewer and more intuitive controls, has lightened the burden on the pilot by making it easier to manage the ROV.

Pilots will also find fault diagnostics easier. A unique system of self-diagnostics and simple presentation, clearly displays the fault and the necessary remedial action to the pilot.

Saab Seaeye’s reputation for ROV innovation and reliability will be further enhanced by a new dual redundant high-frequency/high voltage power distribution system. This allows the ROV to continue to operate on reduced power if one of the dual power systems fails. It also reduces the diameter and weight of the umbilical, and significantly cuts the size and weight of the onboard transformer.

Speed of ascent and descent of the 3000 metre rated Seaeye Jaguar is also faster. This follows new developments in thruster technology that has doubled the thrust power of previous systems.

The accessories offered as standard on the ROV include a pair of Schilling Orion manipulators: the seven function position feedback manipulator, and the four function rate manipulator.

The Seaeye Jaguar is unveiled as the company continues to make inroads into a market area dominated by hydraulic work vehicles, but where operators are increasingly turning to electric work ROVs, attracted by lower cost of ownership and ease of handling compared with the hydraulic equivalent.

This new breed of operator is bringing innovation to cost effective operational management by utilising the electric ROV for the vast majority of tasks performed by hydraulic systems. They also focus on tasks for which the electric vehicle is best suited: such as drill support, survey operations, cable laying support, touch-down monitoring, IRM, and a high proportion of intervention and construction tasks.

The incentive for ROV operators to use electric is strong. Electric ROVs not only weight far less, take up less deck space and need a smaller crew, but have significantly shorter mobilisation times

More compact surface control equipment and transformers, and less space required for workshop and storage, means the deck space needed for containers can be up to half that required for a hydraulic ROV system.

Such functional benefits and the technological innovations of the new Seaeye Jaguar will bring a future dimension to the company’s range of ROVs which now cover virtually all manner of undersea operations within the oil and gas industry, defence, hydro engineering and marine science.

For the defence world the Seaeye Jaguar offers an ROV that is powerful yet compact and easy to operate with the capability for a range of vital tasks including object recovery and deep water survey and salvage.

Saab Seaeye is the largest manufacturer of electrically operated ROVs, and its parent company, Saab Underwater Systems, is a world leader in sensor systems, precision engagement systems, and remotely operated and autonomous underwater vehicles.

For more information:
David Grant
Saab Seaeye Ltd.
+44 1329 289000

www.seaeye.com