Successful Sonar Trials with Naval Undersea Warfare Center
A Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Kraken Sonar from Canada and the U.S. Navy’s Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) in Newport, Rhode Island turned out to be successful. During 26 AUV missions, NUWC and Kraken collected Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Sonar (InSAS) data in Narragansett Bay and in Block Island Sound against both deployed targets and targets of opportunity.
Kraken’s AquaPix InSAS demonstrated the capability of generating high-resolution imagery to ranges as distant as 200 metres from the sensor. The sonar also demonstrated the capability of generating bathymetry that correlated well with corresponding SAS imagery and compared favourably with bottom maps obtained from an independent bathymetric survey. These test results demonstrated the suitability of a REMUS 600 AUV for hosting an AquaPix InSAS sensor capable of generating wide swath high-resolution imagery and bathymetry.
NUWC Division Newport is one of two divisions of the U.S. Navy’s Naval Undersea Warfare Center. Its mission is to provide research, development, test and evaluation, engineering and fleet support for submarines, autonomous underwater systems, undersea offensive and defensive weapons systems and countermeasures.
In October 2012, NUWC Division Newport and Kraken entered into a CRADA to evaluate the performance of Kraken’s AquaPix InSAS deployed from a REMUS 600 Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) owned and operated by NUWC.
Synthetic Aperture Sonar is a key technology whenever high resolution seabed imagery is required. Kraken’s AquaPix generates 3cm resolution images at ranges to over 200m.
Image: Sonar image created with the InSAS of abandoned lobster traps.
