Record for HUGIN AUV during Subsea Positioning and Data System Testing

Kongsberg Maritime has successfully completed the Customer Acceptance Testing (CAT) for the first delivery of its HUGIN Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) with a cNODE integrated subsea positioning and communication system. During the testing of the innovative new package, which took place during the first quarter of 2015 in the deep waters off the coast of Bali, Indonesia, and the Indian Ocean, HUGIN reached a record operational depth of 4,449 metres.

Kongsberg Maritime’s HUGIN AUV, which is rated to 4,500 metres, has until now been delivered with three separate acoustic systems; a beacon transponder for positioning, an Acoustic Data Link (uplink) and an Acoustic Command Link. The new cNODE system now replaces all three with a single embedded system featuring the established HiPAP 501 acoustic positioning system.

By removing the need for a towed transducer for communication purposes, the single topside HiPAP system increases the efficiency of launch and recovery of the AUV, and allows for greater agility of the surface vessel.

During the CAT, the HUGIN AUV was mounted with a 30-degree transducer head. The new record water depth was achieved not only for the AUV, but also for the cNODE system. Throughout the deep water dives, the cNODE provided a reliable and high-quality data link to the AUV, enabling it to carry out its survey of a large seabed area.