The first Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) were developed in the 1970s at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. AUVs are submersible platforms that are rapidly gaining a foothold in the offshore-survey industry. In military applications the
vehicles are also known as Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (UUVs).

They are powered by batteries or fuel cells and can operate in water as shallow as several metres to depths of 6,000 metres. Developments in propulsion systems and power-source technology are providing these vehicles with extended endurance, both in time and distance.The offshore-survey industry uses AUVs for detailed mapping of the seafloor, allowing oil companies to install sub-sea completions and pipelines in the most cost-effective manner and with minimum disruption to the environment. A typical military mission for an AUV is to map an area for mine detection purposes.

Scientists deploy AUVs to study the ocean and the ocean floor using INS, side-scan sonar, multi-beam echo sounders, magnetometers, thermistors, and other underwater sensors including AD(C)Ps and water-quality sensors.

Developments are underway to render AUVs capable of sub-sea intervention (interaction with sub-sea structures) and deep-sea mining (manganese nodules) as opposed to fly-by data collection. Most AUVs work in conjunction with surface vessels for support and navigation, although ultra-lowpower, long-range variants are becoming capable of operating unattended for weeks or months at a time, periodically relaying data to shore by satellite before returning to be picked up.

AUVs are also playing an increasingly significant role in harbour survey. AUVs used for regular survey, optionally in combination with MCM for port security purposes, carry various sensors, from acoustic and optical-imaging devices to environmental and navigation systems.

AUVs are not yet commonly used in the dredging industry. Purchase costs have up until now been quite high, but low-cost, high-performance AUVs (LCAUV) such as the Hafmynd Gavia are currently available at a price considerably lower than
conventional survey craft. And as such a vehicle can execute a survey in less time, using fewer personnel and less fuel, the purchase of an LCAUV is becoming an increasingly attractive idea.

This product survey gives an overview of currently available AUVs. However, we realise that the list is not complete, since every day new developments take place and the AUV market is one of the fastest growing within the survey industry. We
welcome any input, suggestions and comments from manufacturers and users of these wonderful, independent underwater survey platforms.

Participating suppliers:

• Atlas: Maridan Sea Otter Mk I & II
• C&C Technologies: C-Surveyor I, II and III
• Fugro: Echo Surveyor, Echo Mapper, Echo Surveyor, Echo Mapper
• Hafmynd: Gavia
• Hylands: Nano Seeker
• Kongsberg Maritime: HUGIN 1000, 3000, 4500
• Prizm: Fetch 3.5 Class AUV