Optical Dead Reckoning System for Accurate Underwater Robot Navigation

The system is based on patented principle where BRI Offshore has the commercial rights, and the project is designed around thorough testing and development to achieve the ambitious objective of less than 2% positioning error. The experimental work starts in a controlled environment, moving on to a realistic environment and lastly the system will be subject to testing of underwater capabilities in a realistic environment. The main target for the test are a set of performance criteria that are required to b e met. The navigation system consists of several components, and in addition to the ODRS-functionality, an Ultrasonic Probe System will be incorporated, in order to aid in the detection of the beams and ribs of the vessels and/or structures, as well as giving an accurate reading of the thickness of the surface on which it is traversing. The project is developing the enabling technology for classification inspections of vessels like Drillships and Floating Production, Storage and Offloading units (FPSO) offs hore. This releases the vast potential for value creation for the magnetic crawler.

The main delivery from the project is a highly functional navigation system integrated in the underwater magnetic crawler robot which is under development by BRI Offshore AS. The optical dead reckoning system will be developed in collaboration with Polyt ec R&D Foundation in Haugesund and Bouvet to develop additional software solution. The system is based on patented principle where BRI Offshore has the commercial rights, and the project is designed around thorough testing and development to achieve the ambitious objective of less than 2% positioning error. The experimental work starts in a controlled environment, moving on to a realistic environment and lastly the system will be subject to testing of underwater capabilities in a realistic environment. T he main target for the test are a set of performance criteria that are required to be met. The navigation system consists of several components, and in addition to the ODRS-functionality, there will be incorporated a magnetic landmark recognition system, components based on mechanical and electronic engineering as well as a software solution for system integration, user interface and internal systems communication. The project is developing the enabling technology for classification inspections of vesse ls like Drillships and Floating Production, Storage and Offloading units (FPSO). This releases the vast potential for value creation for the magnetic crawler.