Kawasaki Heavy Industries has contracted Norwegian marine robotics firm Stinger for services related to planning and preparing site testing of an AUV equipped with a robot arm for performing subsea pipeline inspections.
The underwater intervention drone is based on a fusion of submarine technologies and industrial robot technologies fostered in-house over many years in Kawasaki Heavy Industries.
The preparation also includes the installation of approximately 700-metre pipeline down to an ocean depth of 230 metres.
Installation of pipeline and testing are planned to be conducted in the newly-established Tau Autonomy Centre (TAC), on the west coast of Norway.
“SPICE” (Subsea Precise Inspector with Close Eyes) is an AUV system which includes subsea docking station, developed by Kawasaki.
SPICE has a robot arm which can realize several closed inspections of pipeline, and non-contact recharging system and high data rate transfer system in underwater. In combination with subsea docking station, SPICE can continue own operation without frequent launch and recovery.