C-Innovation ROVs on track with Sonardyne SPRINT INS

26.10.2015
C-Innovation, an integrated marine services company whose core services and products evolve around ROVs within the oil and gas sector, has placed a major order for SPRINT Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) from Sonardyne International Ltd.



SPRINT is an acoustically aided inertial navigation system for subsea vehicles and makes optimal use of acoustic aiding data from acoustic USBL and LBL positioning and other sensors such as Doppler Velocity Log (DVL) and pressure sensors. This improves position accuracy, precision, reliability and integrity while reducing operational time and vessel costs.

Working closely with C-Innovation to understand their requirements when using Schilling’s UHD ROVs in their operations, SPRINT has been fully integrated into these ROVs, including the use of specialised Seanet connectors. This resulted in a tested, standardised configuration that supports a dedicated AHRS or INS output direct to the ROV with an automatic mode switch. A configuration that allows the system to be used as both a high performance AHRS for typical ROV guidance or as an INS that provides automatic station keeping capability for the ROV – both at the seafloor (using DVL aiding), and mid water (using USBL aiding). Dual output is a unique feature of SPRINT and further underlines Sonardyne’s understanding of C-Innovation’s and other customer’s specific requirements.

SPRINT uses Honeywell ring laser gyroscopes (RLG) and accelerometers with a 20+ year proven track record. The particular RLGs used are the standard inertial sensors supplied to almost all commercial aircraft and have also been widely used for military aircraft, vehicles and satellite navigation with a proven reliability track record.

Malik Chibah, INS Group Manager at Sonardyne said, “As a unique manufacturer of USBL, LBL and now DVL systems whose data outputs are required for aiding of the inertial navigation solution running inside SPRINT, we were pleased to work with C-Innovation and Schilling Robotics to provide an INS system to match the specific operational requirements of their UDH ROVs.” He went on to say, “This SPRINT integrated system will provide the best possible guidance and automatic station keeping capability for the UDH ROV seamlessly at any point in the water column from near surface, down to the seabed.

Richard Bourque, General Manager of C-Innovation said, “The capabilities of the Sprint INS system will allow for us to provide clients with more detailed information on installations, surveys and many other tasks we perform for subsea operations.”

Location: Hampshire,UK









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