Bluefin Robotics, the leading provider of free-flooded, modular Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and related technologies announced that the company has sold a Bluefin-21 system to US-based Phoenix International Holdings (Phoenix), an experienced marine services contractor which provides underwater engineering and operational solutions, including deep ocean search and recovery operations, to customers around the globe.
Among many other successes, Phoenix is accredited with recovering both flight recorders from Air France 447.
Bluefin will deliver an off-the-shelf 1,500-meter depth-rated Bluefin-21 AUV system to meet several immediate requirements, and upgrade the system to a depth rating of 4,500-meters during its next availability—a testament to the system’s design flexibility and modularity. The system boasts Bluefin’s field-swappable batteries, a top-tier integrated inertial navigation solution with Doppler and acoustic baseline aiding, and a state-of-the-art survey payload suite including side scan sonar, sub-bottom profiler, multibeam echosounder and a digital camera. Bluefin’s intuitive user software interface, the Operator Tool Suite, will also be provided for mission planning, mission monitoring and post-mission analysis.
Bluefin Robotics designs, manufactures and operates Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) systems and related technology. Founded in 1997, the company has grown to become a world leader in AUV products designed for defense, commercial, and scientific applications. Bluefin Robotics is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Battelle.
Phoenix provides manned and unmanned underwater operations, design engineering, and project management services to clients in the defense, offshore oil & gas and other ocean-interest industries worldwide. Expertise is available from six regional offices in the areas of wet and dry hyperbaric welding, conventional and atmospheric diving, and robotic systems and tooling. Our capabilities are directed to underwater inspection, maintenance and repair; construction; subsea tieback; submarine rescue; deep ocean search & recovery; and archaeological and documentary projects.
[mappress] Subsea World News Staff, June 01, 2012; Image: Bluefin