Started 2 years ago and conducted in collaboration with IFREMER, the RESIDENT R&D program aims at qualifying technological bricks for ROV long term residency on the seabed. These trials marked the end of the first half of the program showcasing the new generation Argos-X ROV's capability to incorporate an autonomous suite and prepare for high-speed / low-power survey operations. Overall, repeatable autonomous mission profiles were conducted, covering docking/undocking, wall tracking and open water navigation.

Following a call for proposals launched under the “Deep Seabed” priority of the France 2030 investment plan, Ifremer has announced the award of a contract to the French company ALSEAMAR for the design and development of a deep-sea underwater glider. This ambitious project will strengthen France’s capabilities in deep-ocean exploration and observation, a field that lies at the heart of major global scientific and societal challenges. The initiative is funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR) on behalf of the French government, as part of France 2030. Ifremer serves as the project lead, in partnership with the CNRS and Shom. A scientific user group will be closely involved in defining the sensors to be developed or integrated, ensuring that the new system meets the evolving needs of ocean research.

French consortium made of Ifremer (French research institute entirely dedicated to the Ocean), FinX (start’up specialized in bio-inspired underwater thrusters) and lead by Forssea Robotics (French leader in remotely operated vehicles) has been awarded a €3M grant to develop and qualify subsea resident patrol technologies.

SMOOVE® brings together Forssea’s know-how for real-time underwater vision and Ifremer’s expertise in resident systems and scientific observatories deployment.

Forssea Robotics is pleased to announce the release of the SMOOVE® resident subsea camera system designed in collaboration with IFREMER. Made for long immersions up to 12 months, the SMOOVE system embarks an internal GPU / CPU for adavanced computer vision or AI applications. A proprietary chloration system prevents marine growth development upon the viewports and lights.

Ifremer, the French Research Institute for Ocean Science, has received its new synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) from iXblue. It will equip the institute’s new 6000m-rated Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) dedicated to deep sea exploration.

Underwater robotic company Forssea Robotics develops smart vehicles and imaging systems for the offshore energy industries. Forssea announces that Ifremer - the French National Institute for Ocean Science - recently acquired an equity interest in the company.

Ifremer, the French National Institute for Ocean Science, has chosen iXblue, a global high-tech company specializing in the design and manufacturing of innovative systems and solutions devoted to inertial navigation, subsea positioning and, underwater imaging, to equip its new 6000-meter AUV (CORAL* project).

A Fugro vessel heading from the Netherlands to South Africa has made a 10-day detour to support Ifremer, the French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea, in monitoring a giant active underwater volcano off the east coast of Africa. Ifremer is performing important research on this unique volcano but the latest mission was thrown into jeopardy by the Covid-19 pandemic and associated travel restrictions. When Fugro heard, they diverted the specialist hydrographic survey vessel Fugro Gauss to Mayotte in the Mozambique Channel to support Ifremer’s vital hydrographic survey.