As hydrographic operations move into deeper, more complex environments, traditional methods are becoming economically unsustainable. In a quest for operational efficiency and cost reduction, the industry is pivoting towards autonomy and ultra-high-performance systems. Exail provides the full ecosystem to make this possible.
Which main development are you highlighting at Oi26, and which customer problem does it solve?
We are highlighting our navigation resilience ecosystem designed for GNSS-denied environments in the offshore and civil maritime sectors. This solution integrates high-precision inertial navigation systems (INS) and attitude and heading reference systems (AHRS) with advanced acoustic positioning to provide absolute referencing relative to seabed beacons when satellite signals are obstructed. At its core, our Netans data distribution system ensures operational integrity by continuously monitoring and distributing validated navigation data to all onboard sub-systems. By delivering total resilience, we enable uninterrupted 24/7 operations in all sea states, significantly reducing risks and downtime for the global energy and subsea survey industries.
Which applications are currently driving the most demand for your products or services, and how has that changed compared to last year?
We are seeing a clear pivot toward ultra-high-performance systems for increasingly complex offshore operations. At the heart of our solution are Exail’s very-high-performance INS. By coupling this inertial precision with our long baseline (LBL) and ultra-short baseline (USBL) acoustic positioning, we deliver a unique ecosystem capable of centimetre-level accuracy. This is now the benchmark for the industry’s most critical missions, from large-scale construction to high-resolution exploration.
What is behind that shift in applications?
The primary drivers are operational efficiency and cost reduction. As operations move into deeper, more complex environments, traditional methods are becoming economically unsustainable. The industry is pivoting towards autonomy to solve this, and Exail provides the full ecosystem to make it possible. True efficiency comes from integrating autonomous robotics, high-end positioning sensors and software suites for mission planning and post-processing. By automating the entire workflow – from preparation to final data delivery – we help clients maximize vessel utilization and significantly lower both capital expenditure (CapEx) and operating expenditure (OpEx).
How do you see the hydrographic sector evolving over the next two to three years, and where do you expect the biggest capability gaps to be?
The shift towards autonomy is already underway, and the next years will open the door to large-scale seabed mapping. In this context, the real evolution lies in the transition from a platform-centric to a data-centric model. Autonomy is only as valuable as the insights it produces; therefore, the next leap involves integrating real-time processing to deliver actionable data faster. However, the primary capability gap remains a shortage of skilled personnel to manage these autonomous workflows. The technology is ready; the priority now is to develop the human expertise needed to turn massive data streams into operational success.
What can Oi26 visitors expect to find at your booth, and why should they stop by?
We invite all maritime stakeholders to join us at booth E100 to discover our latest innovations and developments in autonomous robotics, ROVs, inertial navigation, and acoustic positioning and imagery sensors. Visitors can dive into our solutions through a full schedule of technical conferences and real-world case studies. Beyond the tech, we welcome visitors to our daily ‘happy hours’ to network in a convivial atmosphere.