The HUGIN Endurance autonomous underwater vehicle(AUV), developed by Kongsberg Discovery, has completed a mission, after several weeks of monitoring, setting new industry standards for operation under autonomous operations.
Results of the HUGIN Endurance mission
This AUV which weighs 8 tons and has a length of 40 feet, performed the mission without human assistance or external navigation support, reaching a maximum depth of 3400 meters. The mission covered 1,200 nautical miles, with a range of up to 300 miles in a straight line, achieving a coverage of 36 square nautical miles in imaging and bathymetry surveys.
Data were collected using advanced synthetic aperture radar
(SAR) technology and other laser imaging and laser imaging, validating the AUV specifications in real-world conditions. The HUGIN Endurance returned with a minimum margin of error of only 0.02% in its final positioning, highlighting its accuracy and efficiency.
This success is a major breakthrough, eliminating the need for surface vessels for long-range missions, leading to considerable savings in time and resources for customers. Kongsberg’ s engineering team has highlighted the development of a robust autonomy framework, with the ability to perform complex missions without human intervention.
The company’s initial AUV concept. Source: Kongsberg Gruppen
Executive Vice President Espen Henriksen noted the success of the mission and its positive impact on the platform’s operational capability. In addition, Rich Patterson, vice president of sales, mentioned the validation of the system’s design and performance, which now positions HUGIN Endurance as the most advanced AUV on the market.
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