The ROV Backbone is used for the LDROV (long distance ROV),  Serpent ROV and  Smart Grapple as well as other less orthodox applications such as mounted to a truss to steer it into position or mounted to an ROV garage to monitor umbilical management for long distance tunnel investigations.

The ROV backbone system was attached to this truss to guide it into position before locking it into place.

The LDROV is capable of 10 000' tunnel investigations. It uses the ROV Backbone for thruster, camera, tooling and lighting control.

The Smart Grapple's actuator, lights, cameras and thrusters are controlled by the ROV Backbone.

SeaView Systems has a strong role to play in the Hydro industry.  We may be best known for our surveys of underwater structures including pipelines and tunnels, penstocks, draft tubes, dams, trash racks etc. but a strong and growing service line is the development of custom underwater tooling.

Robotic technology provides many opportunities to save on cost and time while lowering risk.  We lower or remove risk to personnel, we are not limited in depths that we can work, nor temperature, nor the number of hours on site and we can work in very tight locations.  In some instances, we can perform work faster and more precisely then can be done by a person alone.

I thought that some of the work that we have performed in municipal water may be of interest to the Hydroelectric community so I have submitted an abstract to HydroVision discussing as a case study a major project we have been working on over the last two years in support of J.F. White Contracting Company performing rehabilitation work on part of the aqueduct system feeding the City of New York.

The abstract reads as follows:

Case study of underwater rehabilitation project using custom robotic tooling.

Over a period from Spring 2010 through Fall 2011, underwater technology solutions provider SeaView Systems, Inc. was tasked with building a range of tooling and to support the rehabilitation of an aqueduct system feeding New York City.  The project involve building a remotely controlled grapple to remove 1400lbs of debris, support an Atmospheric Diving Suit (ADS) in the inspection of a valve in 400ft of water, build a series of tools to block off a failed valve and mount a 6’ x 5.5’ x 1” rolled stainless steel plate onto the wall of a concrete shaft also at 400ft of water.
Tools developed included:

• Robotic, surface controlled grapple for removal of debris.
• Locking sump cover with surge relief.
• Submersible electric chain saw capable of cutting out a heavy bronze grating.
• System to position and “fly” a heavy supporting truss into position.
• Robotic core drill to drill 30ea 1” diameter x 18” deep core holes.
• Rock bolt insertion tool.
• Electric torque tool to torque rock bolts to precisely to 150ftlb.

The presentation will illustrate how, by using a modular development approach and teamwork, custom tooling may be developed in an efficient manner.  Our method helps enable underwater construction tasks to be completed in a timely and cost efficient manner bringing assets back online to service communities sooner.

We should hear if it will be accepted by January 27th.  Fingers crossed!!

We believe that there is a lot of demand in Australasia/SE Asia for underwater
technology which is currently inadequately serviced and so, in order to build
on our existing presence in the region, in December ’11/January ’12, Matthew
Cook, President of SeaView Systems, Inc. will be making a 5 week tour of the region
including currently planned stops in Singapore, Malaysia and several stops in
Australia including, Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and the Gold Coast.

It is our expectation that much as we have found here in the US, as marine
and inland water related asset managers come to understand the extent of our
capabilities, even more opportunities for the utilization of underwater
technology will become apparent. To support this demand we plan to stage in the
region significant underwater technology assets including a SAAB Seaeye Falcon
Inspection Class ROV and a compact 75HP internally designed and built Work
Class ROV.

We invite any interested parties to make themselves known to us so that Matthew can
schedule a visit during the tour where he can introduce himself, learn more
about your particular situation and where we can discuss how SeaView Systems
can support your operation.

• It was cheaper
• It was quicker to make it ourselves

and most importantly:

• All the other recovery latches that we’ve seen require a re-termination when it’s installed or removed from the umbilical.  On the recovery latch that we built, the bullet and latch can be split apart for removal or clamped around the umbilical for installation.

Our Falcon DR is running from our lifting umbilical winch and LARS while the regular Falcon is running from our new Davit LARS.

Traditionally there have been many different methods of performing accurate measurements. Most are based on either a taught wire or acoustics. Both suffer problems of setup difficulty and expense and accuracy of final measurement.

By exploiting Ring Laser Gyro technology, CDL Ltd. Of Aberdeen, Scotland have pioneered a method for performing spool piece metrology using Inertial Measurement. Their initial method was to use a RDI Workhorse Dopplar Velocity Log aided (to remove velocity errors) and a Paroscientific Digiquartz Depth Sensor (for accurate depth) to aid a dead reckoned position from a Kearfott T16 Ring Laser Gyro. This method was marketed as the CDL MiniSpool system.

The CDL Minipos has another use over spool-piece metrology. SeaView Systems identified the benefit of this system to provide accurate position and attitude in locations in accessible with more conventional navigation means i.e. acoustic positioning. Initially we teamed with Mr. Jeff Snyder of Seavision Underwater Solutions to perform a bathymetric survey under two mothballed aircraft carriers in Newport, RI. From that experience we coined the process “Restricted Access Hydrographic Survey”.

Following up on that experience we deployed the Minipos technology to aid in the remediation of one of the worlds largest uranium mines for the uranium mining company Cameco ( Cigar Lake Mine, in Saskatchewan, Canada).

Since the original MiniSpool system was introduced, CDL has refined the product to include an acoustic link thus tightening accuracy and simplicity of operation.

SeaView believes this technology shows great promise and is an excellent way for a small, competent team running a relatively small but powerful ROV to provide value to the offshore oil and gas industry.

At present, our Falcon DR, capable of diving to 1000m is a good platform for carrying this technology. With the LARS, Winch and ROV all mobilized inside of the one 20’ Control Van/Workshop it represents the cheapest, easiest mobilization package possible. In most waters this package is quite adequate to perform the operations but there are occasions where ocean currents on bottom are in excess of 2 knts. and the Falcon DR, loaded down with equipment will become more difficult to operate.

To answer this limitation SeaView is working on developing the SeaView “Raptor” system. The Raptor is essentially a SAAB Falcon DR but with double the thrusters. We are building in a full extra suite of 5 thrusters into a cradle in which the Falcon DR sits. Expected to come online in Q4, 2011, this enhanced system will result in a very powerful, stable machine that has the capacity to carry payload and operate competently in currents in excess of 3knts.

The chart below compares the Thrust Vs. Surface Area for several different models of ROV on the market.  It illustrates how the new SeaView “Raptor” will provide a vehicle with water current handling capability comparable to the most powerful vehicles in the industry but in a compact, easily mobilized spread.

We see a big future for INS aided acoustic spool-piece metrology both in the US and further afield.  This work is particularly interesting to us as it’s challenging, interesting work which is well suited to our high quality/low volume business model.

The MV SeaView Surveyor in our workshop

“MV SeaView Surveyor” is a 26 foot water ballasted sailing boat which we are converting for use as a cost effective means to get out on the Great Lakes (in good weather) and inshore waters to deploy our new Saab Seayeye Falcon ROV. Darren is working hard on the conversion, setting the boat up with batteries, an inverter, a davit in place of the mast and a cradle to safely hold the Falcon while in transit. This boat design was interesting to us because it allows us to run a 60hp outboard. It will get up and plane to get us to the worksite quickly but once onsite, the water ballast and battery weight will keep the vessel stable so we can operate the ROV from a darkened cabin.

To compliment the new vessel , Geoff is working on integrating HD Video into the new Falcon ROV. We hope that by doing this we will be answering the needs of the science community to be able to record very detailed images; either video or still. Later improvements will include accoustic positioning, multibeam sonar, sidescan sonar and sub-bottom profiling.

Darren Linderman fitting the Seaeye electronic rack into the MV SeaView Surveyor

It’s our hope that we can provide the Great Lakes science community with a cost effective platform that will allow us to provide a high standard of data/video colleciton capability at a controlled cost.

The vessel not only can run dual multibeam sonars but can be set up to run LIDAR as well to map surfaces direcly above the water line such as sea walls, bridge abutments, dam walls and the like.

Ive seen some of their data. I dont know of any other inshore spread that can boast this capability.

The Tetra Tech crew kindly took three of us SeaViews out on our local Portage Lake for a demo. Steaming at about 3knts they had half the lake surveyed in no time. Very cool!

By turning to specialist ROV operator, Seaview Systems, they were able to cut the cost usually associated with launching an ROV from a large support vessel by using the compact but highly sophisticated deep-rated Saab Seaeye Falcon DR ROV.

Matthew Cook of Seaview Systems explains that marine archaeology requires the collection of high quality video, still images and environmental and position data of a shipwreck in order to capture the full historical significance of the site.

He sees an ROV as representing a very efficient means of collecting this information in a wide range of water depths.

‘One of the larger expenses in a research project,’ says Matthew Cook, ‘is the support vessel from which ROV operations are conducted. Since 2006 we have been leveraging the benefits of the compact fiber optic Falcon DR which can dive to 1000m from relatively inexpensive vessels of opportunity, in order to explore a range of historic shipwrecks, corals and other benthic habitats.

‘The fiber optic Seaeye Falcon DR represents an ideal balance of capability and ease of mobilization in a small, powerful and stable package. By deploying from a relatively inexpensive vessel of opportunity, project budget is conserved allowing for a longer, more detailed campaign. Running a wide bandwidth fiber optic system means the vehicle is able to support a host of sensors and cameras normally only found on larger vehicles.’

The Hattie Wells project that has included archival research, sidescan survey and ROV dive operations, has brought together representatives from government, private business and educational non-profits. In addition to the GLNMM, these included the Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates (MSRA), National Marine and Underwater Agency (NUMA) sponsored by author Clive Cussler, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Authority (NOAA), and SeaView Systems, Inc.

Built in 1867 the Hattie Wells was originally a 135 ft three-masted schooner, later lengthened by 30 ft and the rigging removed.

Over the years she courted disaster on a number of occasions including collision, grounding and a lightning strike. After grounding in 1892 she was given up for lost but was later salvaged as a wreck and towed back to Detroit for refit. Once again afloat, she continued in service, later as a barge.

In November 1912, whilst hauling timber, she hit heavy weather and took in water. Shifting cargo smashed the pilot house containing the donkey engine which powered the bilge pumps. With the only means of removing water gone, the vessel was doomed to sink and so the towing tug cut the hawser and rescued all five hands on board.

The Falcon DR has a world-wide following with over 220 in use offshore, inshore and down tunnels.

Users are attracted by the Falcon’s reputation for power, reliability and unequalled stability in strong cross-currents − particularly in a vehicle small enough to be manhandled into the water.

Rapid role-change during operations is a key feature where intelligent electronics offer a ‘plug and go’ simplicity that allows up to 128 devices to be added and changed easily, such as extra cameras, lights, tracking system, manipulator and sonar, plus the option of adding special tooling on a removable skid.

Its unrivalled finger-tip manoeuvrability comes from five brushless DC thrusters with velocity feedback for precise and rapid control in all directions and an ability to hold steady in strong cross currents.

The deep rated Falcon has built-in fibre optics for high volume data transmission over its long umbilical, and the ability to use broadcast quality video cameras. It also has tilting variable intensity lights linked to its camera tilt mechanism for superior illumination when filming above or below the vehicle.

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

Dr Gleason of GLNMM concludes, ‘I think it is safe to say each organisation had different objectives. Ours was to demonstrate, through a real project, the usefulness of this type of ROV in documenting shipwrecks in the Great Lakes. Plus we wanted to work in partnership with Seaview, NOAA and MSRA/NUMA to explore a new shipwreck and hopefully be able to partner on larger projects in the future.’

Inspection team members:

• Great Lakes Naval Memorial and Museum
• Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates
• National Underwater and Marine Agency
• SeaView Systems, Inc.
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration