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SOLUTIONS
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iXblue stands as a global leader in the design and manufacturing of innovative solutions for navigation, positioning and imaging markets.
iXblue stands as a global leader in thedesign and manufacturing of innovativesolutions for navigation, positioning and imaging markets. Using its unique technologies, the company offers its customers turnkey high-technology solutions, enabling them to address increased challenges and carry out their operations with optimum efficiency and safety.
iXblue is recognized throughout theindustry for its fiber-optic gyroscope(FOG) inertial navigation systems(INS) which has revolutionized navigation in the last decade, its acoustics positioning and seabed mapping systems with unrivalled performance whether in shallow or very deep waters, its full range of survey vessels designed by our shipyard and our survey teams.
Underpinned by 30 years of expertise,iXblue is currently achieving an annualgrowth of 15–20%, with 80% of itsbusiness conducted in over 30 countriesworldwide. The company can counton full value-chain expertise: all of itssystems are produced internally, fromdesign to manufacturing. Its success isespecially informed by its specific knowhow which pervades all critical activities from its engineering of offices to its production workshops and surveyor’s teams.
Combining mastery of technology and agility to solve our customers’ issues
Making technology accessible & adapting it to individual customer needs.
People at the heart of the company
Trusting iXblue experts to implement tomorrow’s solutions
At iXblue, we strongly believe that mastering technology is key to finding the answers to unsolved questions. We believe it is our responsibility to provide our customers with clear solutions. To that end, we are capable of pushing technology beyond the existing limits.Mastering technology also means being agile: in a complex and changing environment, iXblue is convinced that flexibility allows us to find the solutions that best fit our customers’ needs.
It is our responsibility not only to push technology forward but also to make it accessible to our customers, In addition to adapting it to their very specific needs we must make it easy to use, and easy to master. That is why we strive to make our solutions:
• Tailored to customers’ specific needs
• Easy to integrate and deploy
• Compatible with third-party sensors
• Easy to use• Reliable• Cost-efficient
Built on values of shared trust and empowerment of the employees, iXblue promotes the self-fulfillment of the employees as a means to reach collective goals. The company also supports personal realization through work; it encourages and helps the development and progress of all.
iXblue has always been an avant-garde high-technology company: it is in our DNA. By working with our experts, you choose to rely on our unique expertise and be visionary. You implement today’s innovative solutions which will become tomorrow’s standards. You embrace technological breakthrough. The trust you place in iXblue allows us to always go further and push technology beyond its limits.
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Efficient and reliable exploration and exploitation of the seas and oceans that cover nearly 80% of the planet have become unavoidable challenges nowadays. Companies and institutes are seeking to push the limits of technology in order to go deeper, to perform faster operations, to improve the precision of measurements and images and to solve new challenges in unknown territories. All of this in a demanding environment where there is a strong need to automate operations, to make them simpler and safer, while keeping costs to a minimum.
It is to solve its customers’ issues and to always meet their demanding requirements that iXblue has developed a strategy of excellence and innovation allowing the company to
offer a complete range of advanced solutions in the Offshore and Ocean Science markets. By mastering the full technological chain of its products, which includes the in-house design and manufacturing of all the key components essential to these products, iXblue offers reliable and easy to operate solutions for trouble-free and efficient operations. By choosing to rely on our unique expertise, you implement today’s innovative solutions which will become tomorrow’s standards.
Thanks to this vertical integration strategy, iXblue is able to offer global integrated solutions ranging from the design and manufacturing of imaging, positioning and motion sensors, to navigation platforms including
vessels, drones, towfish, buoys and gondolas. This close integration of all the technologies we master makes it possible for iXblue to offer solutions closely adapted to the working environment of its customers by coupling complementary technologies into one global solution. By doing so, the company is able to manufacture systems that always push existing limits by offering the best performance and reliability through the redundancy of its information. In order to meet the full spectrum of its customers’ needs, iXblue also offers enhanced customer support with hands-on training and setting to works for all its products, as well as advanced survey services thanks to a dedicated team of in-house experts.
FROM SENSORS TO VESSELS
SeapiX, 3D Multi- beam Echo Sounder
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AUTONOMOUS SOLUTION FOR HARSH ENVIRONMENT OPERATIONS
As the Unmanned Surface Vehicles sector is growing rapidly, iXblue launched a new multi-purpose autonomous surface craft. The goal is to provide a cost-efficient solution for our customers in the hydrographic and marine survey sector, not only by offering affordable platforms to a very costly and specialized array of assets, but also by expanding the working domains.
With proven offshore navigation capabilities, and a top speed unique in its category for fast mission reallocation, DriX takes the USV role in the survey industry several steps further.
In a nutshellDriX reduces HSE hazard by reducing personnel in the field. Fitted with a third-party multi-beam Echo sonars Gondola, DriX increases the productivity of motherships resulting in huge cost savings.
DriX sails in line of sight (LOS) of a mother ship, according to international regulation. A mother ship (specialized vessel or not) can deploy several DriX at the same time, each working independently in different locations.
DriX is safe, reliable, fast, durable and ready for any demanding application in challenging environment.
Foreseen survey applicationsDriX has already garnered strong interest from major companies in the market since its commercial launch in November 2017. There is substantial interest for survey operations from coastal to high seas, AUV tracking and control command.
Because of its third-party friendly open architecture, DriX is also ready for several other applications.
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SHARING KNOWLEDGE THROUGH TRAINING AND SERVICES
Based at our La Ciotat facility (South of France), our survey teams offers our customers the opportunity to augment their existing knowledge with the experience of our in house survey and product specialists. Assistance implementing iXblue technology on your project is delivered by a dedicated team of experienced personnel who combine training duties with time spent offshore on your operations ensuring the training they deliver and the support they provide is always up to date.
Training With a regular and developing program of training courses available throughout the year, we are able to offer:
• Inertial Theory and Operation
• Gaps and Posidonia Theory and Operation
• Acoustic release maintainance
• Delph INS • Echoes series Theory and
Operation • SAMS series Theory and
Operation • SeapiX Theory and
Operation • Delph for Geophysicists • DriX maintenance • DriX Pilot • Vessels maintenance
Services With a team of experienced offshore surveyors, we can assist at every stage of your project.
Our team of surveyors are able to provide an analysis of your survey requirements and advice on how the iXblue range of products and vessels could be utilized to allow you to meet your project specifications in the most cost effective way.
• Project Consulting - Survey requirements analysis and equipment selection.
• Project execution - On board assistance mobilizing, setting to work, and operating iXblue systems and products. Survey data acquisition with DriX
• On board training of eld staff.
• Data Processing - Specialist data processing using Delph softwares.
24/7 SupportAt iXblue we care about your peace of mind and we stand behind our products and system. Our highly trained support teams offer 24/7 assistance and provide you with top quality service, helping you meet your day-to-day objectives.
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HydrinsHigh grade INS
iXcat 80Survey vessel
Delph suiteSeabed MappingSoftware
OceanoAcoustic release
Echoes seriesSub-bottom profiler
DriX + SeapiX3D Multibeam echosounder
DriX + GapsAUV tracking &navigation solution
SeapiX seriesSonar for fishery research
GapsUSBL
Sams seriesSynthetic aperture sonar
Phins compact seriesNavigation solution for AUV
MARINE SURVEYSOLUTIONS
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NAVIGATION AND POSITIONING
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Cutting edge technology: iXblue systems leverage cutting edge technologies for efficiency and consistency of operation. Critical system components are all designed, developed and manufactured in-house as a result of intensive internal investment in R&D and manufacturing. Components are individually implemented once their technological maturity is fully demonstrated through intensive testing and trials. Leading-edge hardware and software COTS, ruggedized.
Strong track record: Hundreds of subsea vehicles operate all over the world with iXblue navigation and acoustic positioning technologies onboard. iXblue products have gained notoriety of being industry standards in their fields. They are recognized for their reliability, their capability to provide exquisite performance and their suitability for a wide range of operations.
Performance: iXblue systems performance is the culmination of years of high level R&D investment. We aim at designing systems that meet not only one paramount performance but the whole set of critical and desirable requirements that make the systems perfectly suited to the most demanding usage. We refuse technological compromises and strongly believe that the most capable systems result from innovation and excellence. High reliability and availability is iXblue’s mantra. The unrivaled MTBF of iXblue’s FOG technology, far over 500,000 hours, has set the pace. Reliability, together with a minimal level of preventive maintenance, are key principles that govern iXblue technical choices in systems design. In addition, iXblue offers a 24/7 technical support service worldwide to guarantee the highest level of system operability for its customers.
Commonality, Scalability, Versatility: iXblue offers scalable solutions for each type of platform to meet the most specific operational requirements. Within each family range, iXblue systems share strong commonalities with regards to hardware, software, and interfaces. This results in significant savings at fleet level in terms of integration, installation, configuration management, logistics, training and maintenance costs.
Open architecture: iXblue systems collect and integrate internal and ancillary sensor data which makes it possible to get the best performance and features by combining several sensors together (inertial, acoustic positioning, depth sensor, Doppler, etc.). Furthermore, the implementation of open architectures, large protocol libraries and modular software make iXblue
systems very versatile for interfacing to all types of external systems.
Ease of use: At iXblue, we know that the man-machine interface is a predominant factor in ensuring best use and the resulting performance of any system. We design the most intuitive and clear interfaces to facilitate system installation, integration and operation and ultimately in order to make the most of the system’s capabilities. User-friendly display layouts are standardized on all products for optimization purpose.
Navigation and positioning information is a significant reference to the performance of the increasingly sophisticated sensors. Efficient, accurate and reliable navigation and positioning, in all environmental and operational conditions, is a key requirement for modern offshore operations. Protracted MTBF and service life, scalability and flexibility, interchangeability and life-cycle cost reductions through commonalities, low maintenance and obsolescence management are prevailing criteria applicable for satisfying customer’s life of field operations.
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NAVIGATION AND POSITIONING
When surveying under bridges or close to structures, GPS cannot be relied on, satellites get masked entirely, or even worse, reflected off those structures leading to erroneous readings from the GPS receiver. Inertial navigation systems can detect spikes on GPS
With every gyroscope ever built, navigating at high latitudes has been a problem. As the sensor approaches the North or South pole, the problem of detecting the exact direction to the north becomes more and more difficult. iXblue has extensive experience of working
data and exclude them from the navigation calculation. Positioning noise is reduced whilst position and attitude data is available at up to 200 times per second. Sometimes errors in configuration or particularly prolonged periods of poor aiding data can affect
at high latitudes with inertial systems. We have developed custom algorithms to deal with the problems of navigating at theses latitudes and continues to develop techniques and algorithms to allow even higher performance.
the inertial calculation. In this case, Apps and Delph INS post-processing softwares may be used to re-process the data, optimizing settings, and using advanced techniques to improve on the results that are possible in real time.
A unique range of inertial Solutions not affected by GPS outage
Operating in harsh environments
With Gaps and Posidonia iXblue delivers a complete USBL offer with extensive track record of successful use from very shallow water (50 m) to greater depths (10 000 m). By combining acoustic and inertial technologies fully owned and mastered by the company Gaps offers a unique portable and pre-calibrated USBL
solution easily transferable from one vessel to another. Following iXblue philosophy, Gaps and Posidonia are based on an open architecture with serial and Ethernet connectivity and Web control command. All our USBL are compatible with third party equipment.
From shallow water to greater depths USBL systems
Control/Command your AUV Gaps enables simultaneous tracking and acoustic coms without the need to install a dedicated modem transducer on the AUV or on the surface vessel. You can now track, send commands and receive AUV status, all with the same equipment.
Wirelessly send a position to recalibrate an INS in an UUV For AUV and ROV applications, Gaps enables a position to be sent wirelessly to a subsea INS: • Gaps estimates the position of the
beacon (USBL) • Gaps sends its position to the beacon • The beacon broadcasts the position
to the subsea INS
Collect data from any subsea sensor Any sensor can be interfaced to a subsea beacon. The beacon broadcasts the measurements to the Gaps through the acoustic channel. Gaps outputs the information on a serial or Ethernet communication port.
Acoustic data communication
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Phins is an inertial navigation system providing position, true heading, attitude, speed, depth and heave. Its high accuracy inertial measurement unit is based on iXblue’s fiber-optic gyroscope technology coupled with an embedded digital signal processor that runs an advanced Kalman filter.
Quadrans is a fully strap-down fiber-optic gyrocompass (FOG) and attitude reference system.IMO and IMO-HSC certified, it provides all the necessary data for demanding navigation and control applications at a fast rate and with precise time-stamping.Quadrans provides a full range of navigation needs, without any compromise on performance and without requiring any maintenance during its service life.
The fifth generation Octans is an all-in-one gyrocompass and motion sensor for diverse challenging applications.Now IMO HSC, the new Octans raises the industry standard in measurement accuracy for roll, pitch, heave, and heading.
Quadrans IMO GRADE SURFACE GYROCOMPASS AND ATTITUDE REFERENCE SYSTEM
Octans FIFTH GENERATION SURVEY-GRADE SURFACE GYROCOMPASS AND MOTION SENSOR
Phins HIGH-PERFORMANCE INERTIAL NAVIGATION SYSTEM
QuadransIMO grade gyrocompass & attitude reference system
Quadrans, is a fully strapdown gyrocompass and attitude
reference system. IMO and IMO-HSC certified, it provides all
the necessary data for demanding navigation and control
applications. High customizability and Ethernet/Serial
connectivity provides a very easy integration on any platform.
Based on a state-of-the-art interferometric fiber-optic
gyroscope technology (iFOG*), Quadrans does not require any
maintenance during its unlimited service life. Quadrans is
the ideal replacement for any mechanical gyro for whom is
focused on total cost of ownership and maximizing availability
and safety of their ships.
[email protected] | www.ixblue.comEMEA +33 1 30 08 88 88 | Americas +1 781 937 8800 | APAC +65 6747 491220
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FEATURES
• Compact and plug & play system
• AHRS: All in one Gyrocompass & MRU
• Unique strap-down technology, interferometric FOG (iFOG*)
• Embedded Man Machine Interface (no proprietary CDU)
• IMO Certification
BENEFITS
• Fast settling time
• Maintenance-free
• Easy integration
• Stabilization and pointing capability
• Automatic speed and latitude correction
• Works in high sea state
• Allows restart at sea
Sea proven technologyQuadrans is based on a unique iFOG design* which has been in
use in the harshest environment for 15 years.
From land application to space environment through all main
European navies first ranks platforms.
Quadrans has been in use for 5 years in many navies (French,
Chile, UK, Portugal,...) and multiple DP operators.
In addition, Quadrans has also been the obvious choice for most
competitors in the America’s cup and the Vendée Globe, proving
its performances in any sea state and its reliability.
Reliability and through life costThe return of experience on iXblue iFOG technology shows a
MTBF of more than 150.000h, without any kind of maintenance
(neither on board nor with factory return), and a life expectation
that have already proven to be superior to 15 years. All this
combined makes Quadrans a true install and forget equipment
with an unbeaten low cost through the life of your ship. As a token
of our confidence, Quadrans comes with a 5 years warranty.
An opened architectureThe Quadrans solution, as every iXblue product, is an opened
architecture, ready to interface with any other component.
It includes, in addition to standard NMEA, a large library of
open source protocols, to give autonomy to the user in
the integration of the Quadrans in the life of the ship.*discover more on iXblue iFOG on our website
Surface Attitude and Heading Reference Systems
Surface Inertial Navigation Systems
INERTIAL SURFACE NAVIGATION
Hydrins is a high-performance inertial navigation system optimized for hydrographic surveys using multibeam echosounders. Hydrins comprises a single compact unit and delivers highly accurate real-time position, heading, attitude and speed data. In addition to the real-time options, Hydrins raw data can be post-processed using Apps.
Hydrins HIGH-GRADE INS FOR HYDROGRAPHIC AND MULTIBEAM SURVEY
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Quadrans Octans Hydrins Phins
DESCRIPTION Compact gyrocompass
and AHRSHigh-grade AHRS
for navigationHigh-grade INS
for hydrographic surveyHigh-grade INS for navigation
PERFORMANCE
HEADING ACCURACY 0.23 deg secant latitude RMS 0.1 deg secant latitude RMS 0.01 deg secant latitude RMS 0.01 deg secant latitude RMS
ROLL AND PITCH 0.1 deg RMS 0.01 deg RMS 0.01 deg RMS 0.01 deg RMS
HEAVE
5% RMS 5% RMS 2.5% RMS 2.5% RMS
5 cm 5 cm 2,5 cm 2,5 cm
PURE INERTIAL DRIFT 0.5 nm/h
POSITION ACCURACY REAL TIME
NO AIDING FOR 1 MIN / 2 MIN / 5 MIN 0.8 m / 3.2 m / 20 m (CEP 50) 0.8 m / 3.2 m / 20 m (CEP 50)
POSITION ACCURACY POST-PROCESSED
NO AIDING FOR 1 MIN / 2 MIN 0.2 m / 1 m (CEP 50) 0.2 m / 1 m (CEP 50)
CERTIFICATION AND OTHERS
IMO / IMO HSC ● ● ● ●
EXTERNAL SENSORS GPS, EM log GPS, EM log GPS GPS, EM log, DVL
OPTIONS Ranges depths
Full range of inertial solutions for survey applications
• Motion and heading
not affected by GPS outages
• High reliability and robust
to harsh environment
• IMO and IMO HSC certifications
QuadransIMO grade gyrocompass & attitude reference system
Quadrans, is a fully strapdown gyrocompass and attitude
reference system. IMO and IMO-HSC certified, it provides all
the necessary data for demanding navigation and control
applications. High customizability and Ethernet/Serial
connectivity provides a very easy integration on any platform.
Based on a state-of-the-art interferometric fiber-optic
gyroscope technology (iFOG*), Quadrans does not require any
maintenance during its unlimited service life. Quadrans is
the ideal replacement for any mechanical gyro for whom is
focused on total cost of ownership and maximizing availability
and safety of their ships.
[email protected] | www.ixblue.comEMEA +33 1 30 08 88 88 | Americas +1 781 937 8800 | APAC +65 6747 491220
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FEATURES
• Compact and plug & play system
• AHRS: All in one Gyrocompass & MRU
• Unique strap-down technology, interferometric FOG (iFOG*)
• Embedded Man Machine Interface (no proprietary CDU)
• IMO Certification
BENEFITS
• Fast settling time
• Maintenance-free
• Easy integration
• Stabilization and pointing capability
• Automatic speed and latitude correction
• Works in high sea state
• Allows restart at sea
Sea proven technologyQuadrans is based on a unique iFOG design* which has been in
use in the harshest environment for 15 years.
From land application to space environment through all main
European navies first ranks platforms.
Quadrans has been in use for 5 years in many navies (French,
Chile, UK, Portugal,...) and multiple DP operators.
In addition, Quadrans has also been the obvious choice for most
competitors in the America’s cup and the Vendée Globe, proving
its performances in any sea state and its reliability.
Reliability and through life costThe return of experience on iXblue iFOG technology shows a
MTBF of more than 150.000h, without any kind of maintenance
(neither on board nor with factory return), and a life expectation
that have already proven to be superior to 15 years. All this
combined makes Quadrans a true install and forget equipment
with an unbeaten low cost through the life of your ship. As a token
of our confidence, Quadrans comes with a 5 years warranty.
An opened architectureThe Quadrans solution, as every iXblue product, is an opened
architecture, ready to interface with any other component.
It includes, in addition to standard NMEA, a large library of
open source protocols, to give autonomy to the user in
the integration of the Quadrans in the life of the ship.*discover more on iXblue iFOG on our website
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POST-PROCESSING SOFTWARE
Advanced Post-Processing Software (APPS) is an in house intuitive office software solution; offering both post-processing and batch processing in one software package. Powerful data management, visualization and editing features and processing functions together with data export capability make this tool essential for quick and easy navigation enhancement.The core of APPS is combining both the data from the Inertial Navigation System (INS) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) during post-processing which merges raw
inertial and GNSS data collected during the survey with external data (DMI, etc.) in order to provide the best navigation and orientation solution.
APPS incorporates the innovative GNSS-INS post-processing algorithm, named Septentrio iXblue GPS Inertial Link (SIGIL), which results from a collaborative development effort between Septentrio (GPS receiver manufacturer) and iXblue.APPS allows significant performance improvements for high precision position computation, taking advantage
of data not being available during the real-time survey data collection. It supports multi-baseline computation, provides integrated reference station download and allows fast forward and backward position computation.
Data can be easily exported to common third-party image processing software packages.
Apps: an intuitive software for both post-processing and batch processing
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Gaps takes advantage of the unique expertise in both acoustic positioning and inertial navigation that iXblue has built up over the years. Gaps fuses the unique acoustic elements with cutting edge inertial navigation resulting in an extremely flexible system for any marine applications operating in the medium frequency band.
Gaps is an all-in-one system which provides absolute geo-referenced positioning of any subsea vehicle or object. Our USBL offers a very accurate heading and attitude for the surface vessel along with the highest accuracy and unrivalled performance in shallow or extreme shallow water depth with omnidirectional beams.
Gaps is a all-in-one calibration free and portable system with
Posidonia is the long range / high accuracy USBL system designed to track subsea vehicles down to 6,000 m water depth and at ranges more than 10,000 m (depending on noise/ environment conditions). Based on USBL technology with advanced acoustic modulation and digital signal processing technology, Posidonia operates in the low frequency band. Since its first release, Posidonia has been installed on numerous vessels throughout the world for long range tracking operations (deep tow, deep sea vehicles) and is a market proven solution available today.
Gaps MF USBL
Posidonia LF USBL
a light weight and reduced size which does not require any complicated installation and permit to be operate in harsh and noisy conditions. It features very high performance thanks to data fusion of acoustic, inertial and GPS technologies and finally, has no limit in terms of operational area from shallow and deep water, horizontal and vertical channel, short or long range.
A wide range of transponders are available for Gaps for all kind of operations, including compatibility with some other manufacturers beacons. Its latest firmware release includes data telemetry functionality which enables Gaps to communicate via wireless communication with other iXblue products including Canopus transponders.
Depending on the mode of installation and application Posidonia is available with a flush USBL antenna designed for permanent installation under a ship, or a deployable antenna for vessel of opportunity or installation through the hull on an iXblue HISYS deployment machine. A range of low frequency transponders is available for all kinds of subsea vehicles, from reduced size for small vehicles to full size / battery operated releasable seabed transponders.
Up to 200°
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GapsPosidonia
(deployable antenna)Posidonia
(flush antenna)
RANGE NOMINAL 4,000 10,000 10,000
ACCURACY 0,06% x range 0,2% x range 0,2% x range
OPERATING FREQUENCY 20~30 kHz 14~18 kHz 14~18 kHz
ANTENNA APERTURE 200 deg 70 deg 100 deg
DATA TELEMETRY yes no no
CONSTRUCTION Carbon fiber Stainless steel Stainless steel
SIZE (MM) Ø 295 x 638 Ø 580 x 420 Ø 800 x 320
TRANSPONDERSiXblue MF transponder
Canopus Third party transponder
iXblue LF range iXblue LF range
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ACOUSTIC RELEASE
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Over the years, iXblue has proven the reliability of their underwater acoustic releases world-wide by meeting the most demanding needs of scientific campaigns and offshore works. Strength, accuracy, long battery life (up to more than ten years) and permanent concern for quality make Oceano Acoustic Releases a leading product range. When inserted in a mooring line, they facilitate and secure the recovery of instrumentation in shallow or deep water. In offshore construction, they help deposit heavy structures on the seabed.
Today, capitalizing on a 40-year experience with more than 15,000 units delivered, iXblue offer 4 product lines:
• Shallow water acoustic release for coastal mooring down to a few hundreds of meters and release of payload up to 200 kg
• Oceanographic acoustic releases for use down to 6,000 m water depth and release load up to 5,000 kg
• Hadal acoustic releases for ultra-deep mooring down to 12,000 m and releasing capacity up to 2,500 kg
• Heavy duty acoustic releases for operations down to several thousands of meters and release of payloads up to 50 tons
ACOUSTIC RELEASE
Key benefits
• Proven reliability (standard
products or special design
for all applications)
• Mooring safety (corrosion
resistance, unrivaled operating
life, secure command coding)
• Long-term moorings in all seas
and harsh environments at low
temperature
• Reduced maintenance
• Off-the-shelf batteries and
backup cell for release command
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Oceano 500Oceano 2500S
LightOceano 2500S
UniversalOceano 5000S
CONSTRUCTION AluminumDuplex SS
(Titanium optional)Duplex SS
(Titanium optional)Duplex SS
WEIGHT (AIR/ WATER) IN KG 6.5 / 2 26 / 18 30 / 22 40 / 31
SIZE (OD X L) IN MM 140 x 564 130 x 724 130 x 829 215 / 908
LOAD CHARACTERISTICS (SWL / RL) IN TONS
0.5 / 0.2 2.5 / 0.5 2.5 / 2.5 5 / 5
OPERATING LIFEUp to 10 months
@ 0°CUp to 36 months
@ 0°CUp to 36 months
@ 0°CUp to 36 months
@ 0°C
HD15 Cable Lay HD15 Lift HD55 Pull&Lift
CONSTRUCTION Stainless Steel Steel frame Steel frame
WEIGHT (AIR/ WATER) IN KG 60 / 50 95 / 72 300 / 270
SIZE (L X W X H) IN MM 960 x 386 x 221 1143 x 210 x 148 1497 x 330 x 250
LOAD CHARACTERISTICS (SWL / RL) IN KG
15 / 10 15 / 15 55 / 40
BACK-UP ROV MECHANISM No No Yes
Oceanographic Acoustic Releases: Heavy Duty AR’s:
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SEABED MAPPING AND HYDRO ACOUSTIC
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iXblue conceives a large range of systems designed to address the full spectrum of subsea imagery applications, from sub-bottom profiling to water column monitoring. Considering that barely 10% of the bottom of the ocean has been mapped with a submetric resolution, imagery and mapping of the seabed can be considered one of the last frontiers of human knowledge. To help all major players in this field to overcome this challenge, iXblue offers innovative solutions to produce correctly positioned and good quality images at low costs, in wide sea conditions and on any type of platforms.
The excellence of our sensors, the fusion of their data with navigation and positioning, an efficient and easy to use software suite, allowing the integration of an open and scalable hydrographic suite on all types of platforms…This is how we will succeed in mapping the global ocean and optimally managing its resources.
Mastering the full chain of acquisitionAt iXblue we believe that to provide quality data the entire chain of acquisition must be optimized, from the sensor to the platform. That's why we design all our transducers and antennas, power and acquisition electronics, data processing and platforms in-house. This allows us to deliver unparalleled data quality from the water column to the ocean floor. This quality of data is recognized by the world's leading hydrographic and marine research institutes that routinely use our products.
Accurate pixel positioning We think that even the highest-resolution and clean data only has little value if not correctly positioned,
or if its acquisition is only possible for weather windows that are too sh d know-how in inertial navigation and underwater positioning to integrate these fundamental data into its sonar processing. The pixels produced by our side-scan sonars (SSS) are thus positioned with submetrical accuracies even at a 6000 m depth and in harsh weather conditions, removing all management problems of overlapping lines and contact repositioning. Our sub-bottom profilers are also compensated for heave greatly improving the readability of the profiles. Finally, our 3D multibeam echosounder, SeapiX, is the first gyrostabilized multibeam echosounder in transmission and reception by integrating an inertial motion unit closest to the antennas.
Pushing the boundaries of seabed imageryThese unique capabilities for data fusion of inertial navigation, acoustic positioning and sonar imaging, allow iXblue to push the boundaries of seabed imagery, by offering the first synthetic aperture sonar, specially designed for
hydrography and surveys. Our product line SAMS (Synthetic Aperture Mapping Sonar) thus makes it possible to operate a SAS as one would a standard SSS, while allowing a resolution gain between 5 and 10 depending on the configuration, compared to conventional SSS of the same range, while being operable on any type of platform.
These unique sensors, with their intrinsic performance and ability to merge their data, are fully exploited thanks to the Delph software suite that offers a standardized and simplified man-machine interface. It allows acquisition, quality check, processing and visualization of all geophysical sensors: from side-scan sonar, to seismic and magnetometer. Delph has become the reference in the survey industry and its optimization for massively parallel data processing makes it the perfect tool for cross-platform data processing.
We also believe that the quality of a hydrographic suite lies as much in its sensors and software as in the quality of their integration.
This is why our survey platforms are able to closely integrate all the sensors that meet the needs of the surveyors. These sensors are collocated, synchronized and co-referenced transparently for the user.
A third-party friendly technologyFinally, at a time when technologies are evolving at a furious pace, where the survey industry is experiencing two major revolutions with automation and big data, we want to design hydrographic suites with the best performance that can be offered today while being capable to integrate future needs. Our systems are thus fully open to the integration of third-party sensors and can be integrated on any type of platform: towfish, gondolas, drones or survey vessels. Our offer is an open, coopetitive and comprehensive hydrographic suite.
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Sub-bottom profilers, Synthetic Aperture and Mapping Sonars (SAMS) and Multibeam echo-sounders are acoustic imagers of geophysical or industrial subsea sites and configuration. They help people on surface to visualize, interpret, understand and control the underwater world and its structures (in various applications).
Image mapping and 3D representation are continuously progressing thanks to improvement of processing capacities. At iXblue we also strongly believe that acoustic imagery is first of all a matter of know-how in transducers.Image quality for human perception, but also for automatic processing necessary in autonomous
computing, is mainly a question of contrast, texture, and for that phase, amplitude quality of the observed signal must be as perfect as possible.
The know-how on transducers is the capacity to efficiently & properly transfer the exact and appropriate quantity of energy into the seawater (different for each type of solution).
From 100 Hz to 400 kHz we master all type of elements. In order to get the full benefit of our design, each transducer is closely coupled to our own electronic design.Signal processing, data fusion, multisensory optimization with the same constant effort to directly deliver georeferenced images allows iXblue systems and products
to deliver a geophysical imaging software suite completely in phase with the most recent requirements.
Close to market needs and to our customers we like to surprise them by designing, innovative, performant and cost-efficient solutions.
Full Ocean Depth Offer Continental Shelf Offer Coastal and inland offer
SUBSEA IMAGERY
SYNTHETIC APERTURE SONAR
SAMS-DT6000 SAMS-MT3000
AUV Kit AUV Kit
SUB-BOTTOM PROFILER
Echoes T7 3,5k 6KVA Echoes T3 3,5k 4KVA Echoes 10k 2/4KVE
ROV/AUV Kit 5k ROV/AUV Kit 5k Echoes T1 3,5k 2KVA
3D MULTIBEAM ECHOSOUNDER
SeapiX SeapiX
GEOPHYSICAL SOFTWARE Delph Delph Delph
SEABED MAPPINGAND HYDRO ACOUSTIC
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Echoes sub-bottom profilers use an acoustic array of transducers that are using the piezoelectric ceramics properties of ceramics in which a high-voltage current is sent. The properties of this signal are reproduced by the emitted acoustic soundwave (Chirp, CW, Ricker, etc.). Thanks to the reciprocal piezoelectric principle, this acoustic array can be used to sense the reflected soundwaves.
Having developed Echoes in collaboration with French Marine Institute Ifremer over the course of 20 years ensures an excellent and rigorous qualification of all key elements by scientific users.
One product range for shallow water and deep water applications, our sub-bottom profilers can be
used for vertical imaging of sediment layers by the mean of low-frequency acoustic sound-wave reflections. Similar to reflection seismic methods, a fully mastered low-frequency acoustic waveform is emitted, and the receiving of the many reflections that occur when the acoustic impedance changes (air-water, water-sediment, sediment-to-sediment interfaces). This acquisition sequence is repeated over time when the acquisition system is moving and results in successive scans that build acoustic profile images depicting the water-column and subsurface sediment layers.
The full power of Echoes is available as soon as the emitting time so it is available from very shallow water to greater depths.
When using chirps with Echoes, maintaining a very high vertical resolution whatever the power level is made possible thanks to the modulated signal that is mastered over time.
While this aperture remains wider than the one of a parametric, it provides superior quality imaging of the sediment layers, especially when the arrangement of acoustic layers becomes complex. It is also naturally more robust to motion. The coupling of a motion sensor is recommended for heave compensation only. The horizontal resolution remains excellent, in particular in shallow water applications or when surveying closer to the seabed using a tow-fish or subsea vehicle such as an AUV.
Key benefits
• Very low distortion power
amplifiers (Low frequency:
flat spectrum)
• In-house manufacturing
and design of our transducers
(Tonpilz technology), electronics
and software
• Compact antenna: transducer
remains small and lightweight
(easily operated by a single man
for Echoes 10000)
• Possible to use other acoustic
sensors such as a multi-beam
echosounder with no acoustic
interference and without an
external synchronization needed• Clear interfaces, contrasted images,
texture of layers
A complete solution: More
than just a sub-bottom
profiler, the Echoes series
provides a complete
solution for acquiring,
processing and interpreting
high quality geological data
thanks to its integration
with the provided Delph
Seismic software.
0.5 kHz 2.5 kHz 5 kHz 10 kHz 15 kHz
Echoes 1 5000.5 - 2.5 kHz
Echoes 3 000 T3/T71.7 - 6 kHz
Echoes 5 O00 T12 - 6 kHz
Echoes 10 0005 - 15 kHz
SUB-BOTTOMPROFILERS
A complete range of Sub-bottom profilers covering the full spectrum
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Developed in order to offer an alternative to boomers and sparkers in the North Sea conditions, this low frequency subsea towed sub-bottom profiler delivers clear 40 cm resolution profiles in harsh conditions, away from surface noise, at optimal distance to the seabed.
When it comes to continental shelf and coastal geophysics, good portability and flexibility are required in addition to data quality. Optimized antenna and Class D compact power amplifiers form the core of the technology of the Echoes 3500 T3/T1. This high-level quality SBP can be pole or hull-mounted. These two systems exist in 2 and 4 kVA versions. Typical penetrations are 50 to 80 m and resolution is 20 cm. More than 10 research institutes and survey companies use Echoes 3500 T3/T1 systems.
Echoes 5000 is an energy efficient and compact sub-bottom profiler (SBP) system allowing high resolution surveys in various operating conditions (lake, shallow & deep waters). Its design allows an easy integration in a subsea vehicle. This is the ideal payload for AUV and ROV for operation down to 6 000 m. With low power consumption, its design is optimized to adapt to any type of carrier. A tow-fish version makes Echoes 5000 an easily deployable solution (coastal, lake, river). It becomes a full-feature survey tool, easy to use, with a perfect balance between penetration and resolution.
Hull mounted Echoes 3500 T7 delivers outstanding performance and provide high quality data, resolving sediment layers from shallow to deep water. This system equips more than 10 high grade research vessels all over the world with a full depth capability, typical penetration of 100 m and a vertical resolution of 20 cm. Echoes 3500 T7 is available in 4 and 6 kVA configurations.
The Echoes 10 000 solution provides the highest resolution available on the market. Its use is optimal for shallowwater applications. Its ultra-large bandwidth makes for effective working in very-shallow water and outperforms non-linear parametric systems. Typical penetration is 10 to 20 m with field proven resolution of 8 cm. More than 10 research institutes and survey companies use Echoes 10 000 systems.
Echoes 1500 HIGH ACCURACY SEISMIC SOURCE
Echoes 3500 T7 FULL DEPTH OCEANIC SBP
Echoes 3500 T3/T1 CONTINENTAL SHELF AND COASTAL PORTABLE VERSATILE SBP
Echoes 5000 IDEAL PAYLOAD FOR AUV AND ROV FOR DEEP OPERATION
Echoes 10000 ULTRA -COMPACT ULTRA-HIGH RESOLUTION SBP
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Echoes 1 500 Echoes 3 500 Echoes 5 000 Echoes 10 000
SPEC T1 T3 T7
TYPICAL PENETRATION AND OPERATIONAL DEPTH 300 to 400 m150 m
shallow water150 m
Continental shelf150 m
Full ocean delph
80 m From shallow water to full ocean depth
40 m Shallow water
FREQUENCY RANGE 0.5 kHz - 2.5 kHz 1.7 kHz- 5.5 kHz 2-6 kHz 5 - 15 kHz
EQUIVALENT SOURCE LEVEL (ref 1μPa@ 1 m) 216 dB @ 2 kVA 224 dB (T1 @ 2 kVA) 227 dB (T3 @ 2 kVA) 235 dB (T7 @ 4 kVA) 216 dB @ 1 kVA 233 dB @ 2 kVA
RESOLUTION 40 cm 20 cm 15cm 8cm
FREQUENCY RESPONSE Flat spectrum Flat spectrum Flat spectrum Flat spectrum
DIGITAL DATA FORMAT24 bit raw data / Segy 32
bits floating point24 bit raw data / Segy 32 bits floating point
24 bit raw data / Segy 32 bits floating point
24 bit raw data / Segy 32 bits floating point
AVAILABLE PULSESAM-FM / User-designed
and chirp libraryAM-FM / User-designed and chirp library
AM-FM / User-designed and chirp library
AM-FM / User-designed and chirp library
DIRECTIVITY 30° (Frequency dependant) 20° (T7) ; 30° (T1) (Frequency dependant)30° (Frequency
dependant)20° (Frequency
dependant)
TRANSMISSION POWER 2 kVA - 4 kVA 2 kVA - 4 kVA (6 kVA option) 2 kVA 2 kVA (4 kVA option)
CONFIGURATION
HULL-MOUNT / GONDOLA • •POLE-MOUNT • • •TOW FISH • •AUV KIT • • •
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Although the progress made by multibeam echosounders (MBES) for shallow water backscatter imaging should not be overlooked, SSS remains the tool of choice for seabed imagery despite several limitations: Variation of the along-track resolution with range (this range / resolution tradeoff imposes to work at high frequency to optimize the resolution, or to work at low frequency to optimize the coverage), Sensitivity to platform motion (working with a SSS means using beams of very small aperture to get good along track resolution) and Pixel positioning inaccuracy (mosaic doesn’t allow precise georeferencing and platform motion compensation).
If standard Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS), seems the most appropriate system to solve the first limitation, it only partially addresses the other two. iXblue has thus developed a new type of SSS, a Synthetic Aperture Mapping
Sonar (SAMS), to solve those issues. SAMS is based on the following 3 features:• Fine coupling between
acoustic data, inertial navigation and acoustic positioning: it allows focusing on each pixel in the mosaic, avoiding distortion of the projection of the waterfall on the mosaic.
• Wide aperture in transmission coupled to multi-channel reception and multi-ping integration: this architecture ensures full coverage even on passive platform in bad conditions of navigation.
This multi-ping integration capability makes it possible to perform the two-following synthetic aperture processings simultaneously and in real time:• Non-coherent integration
(summation of signal amplitudes): allowing for significant improvement of image quality thanks to signal-to-noise ratio gain
and coherent noise reduction.
• Coherent integration (summation of signal amplitudes and phases): allowing for significant improvement of the resolution. iXblue warrants a SAS gain of a factor of 6 on passive tow-fish.
• A truly integrated survey platform: SAMS exploits the synchronous acquisition and positioning capabilities of multi-sensor data to offer a fully integrated survey platform.
• In addition to positioning systems and SSS, SAMS platforms can embed a Sub-bottom Profiler, a pinger locator and a magnetometer. All of the synchronized sensors and navigation data are processed and displayed in real time in a 3D environment using iXblue’s Delph Software. This allows the implementation of data fusion method to improve the survey area analysis.
Key benefits
• Georeferenced high
precision data
• Real-time generated
of high-quality
and high-resolution maps
• High sea proven
• Real-time multi-sensor
data fusion / full swath
seabed mapping
• Sonar and navigation
post-processing capabilities
from the raw data
• Industry-standard workflow
integrated in iXblue
Delph software
• Full survey package inside: sonar
imaging, interferometric system,
gap-filling MBES, bathymetry,
SBP, magnetometer,
pinger locator
• Available in Kit for AUVs
By integrating positioning
and navigation capabilities
and performing real-time
coherent and non-coherent
SAS integration, iXblue
makes SAS technology
available to all hydrographic
surveyors. The combination
of all these technologies
gives SAMS systems optimal
imaging performance with
respect to environmental
conditions in terms of
swath, resolution, image
quality, coverage rate and
absolute pixel positioning
accuracy.
SYNTHETIC APERTURE MAPPING SONAR
The SAMS series expands the capabilities of conventional imaging SSS Resolution
(meters)Standard SSS
0,010
0,100
800 1800
1,000
10,000
SAMS MT-3000
SAMS DT-6000
Maximum Swath(meters)
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SAMS MT-3000, is a hydrographic survey platform submersible down to a depth of 3000 m. It offers a full swath of 800 m for a constant resolution of 15 cm. This sonar is best suited for cable route or site survey and has unique capabilities in strong current conditions (Marine Renewable Energy site survey).
SAMS DT-6000 is a deep towed platform (6000 m depth rating) with positive buoyancy incorporating a dead weight and an emergency recovery system. It allows a full swath of 1800 m for a constant resolution of 40 cm. SAMS DT-6000 is the state-of-the-art tool for deep geophysical or search and rescue surveys.
SAMS MT-3000 HIGH RESOLUTION MODULAR SURVEY PLATFORM
SAMS DT-6000 HIGH PRODUCTIVITY DEEP-TOW MODULAR SURVEY PLATFORM
SAMS MT-3000 SAMS DT-6000
RATIONALEHigh resolution modular
survey platformHigh productivity deep-tow modular
survey platform
COVERAGE RATE 7.2 km2/h 6.12 km2/h
FREQUENCY 100 kHz 55 kHz
BANDWIDTH 30 kHz 15 kHz
FULL SWATH 800 m 1 800 m
MAXIMUM DEPTH 3 000 m 6 000 m
THEORETICAL ACROSS-TRACK RESOLUTION
>= 15 cm >= 50 cm
SPEED ˜4-5 knots ˜2-3 knots
NAVIGATION & POSITIONINGUSBL (Gaps) + INS (Rovins 3000)
+ DVL + SVP
USBL (Posidonia) + INS (Phins 6000) + DVL + pressure sensor + SVP +
emergency release
OPTIONSInterferometry (bathy)
SBP (Echoes 3000) Third-part MBES / Third-part MAG
Interferometry (bathy) SBP (Echoes 3000)
Third-part MBES / Third-part MAG Pinger locator
AUV KIT • •
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SeapiX generates one or more scan swathes along or across the vessel axis, providing total three-dimensional coverage of the water column (to provide metrological target strength and volume backscattering strength), a bathymetric profile of the seabed and sediment identification analysis.
Each detection is referenced in 3D in the water column and is automatically reported on a map built in real time including local bathymetry. According to IHO standards, SeapiX bathymetry is special order when coupled with external high-quality motion reference units.
Its accuracy reaches an unparalleled level, thanks to its narrowest beams (1,6° x 1,6°) and advanced acoustic modulation principles (resolution +-7,5
cm only), and its embedded motion sensor (each array has stabilizing beams with a MEMS sensor included in the Sonar head). Its transducer generates several multibeam transmissions and acoustic processes to yield quantitative and qualitative measurements of the marine environment. Its multiple advanced modulation modes, including chirp, combined with pulse compression, guarantee the highest possible detection performance, even in harsh environments.
A new proven technology, which will provide new features each year.An innovative and robust method used to classify seabed takes benefit of the longitudinal steered beam that provide a full BS profile measurement (+/-60° aperture) on each insonified pixel at Nadir. The measured
BS profile is compared to classified BS profile values in order to discriminate bottom type in real-time.Two SeapiX versions are available for our customers : A SeapiX for fishery and a SeapiX Research which receives an additional software package with scientific functionalities. SeapiX could be calibrated in our laboratories or in situ (in particular for research applications).
SeapiX was designed for harsh environments and really constraint areas. It was developed for the hull of fishery vessels which navigate in rough seas for months.To have a new cost-efficient product that could be used in other applications such as scientific ones, we develop a portable version, that can be mounted on a pole.
As a military technology
covered by a number of
patents, SeapiX is the first
compact civilian system
comprising a dual Mills
Cross multibeam sonar
transducer.
3D MULTI-BEAMECHO-SOUNDER
Complete environment monitoring from Water colum analysis to bathymetry and seabed classification
120°
Downward lookingSide lookingOn a buoy Forward looking
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60° 50° 40°
40°
BS
Degres
RockSandMud
50° 60°
60° 50° 40°
40°
BS
Degres
RockSandMud
50° 60°
SeapiX in classification mode
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SeapiX
SPECIFICATIONS
RANGE RESOLUTION 7.5 cm (constant)
RESOLUTION CELL AT 100 M DEPTH 0.6 m3
TYPICAL RANGE 400 m for fishing 800 m for bathymetry
INDIVIDUAL BEAM PATTERN 1.6° x 1.6°
ACROSS TRACK / ALONG TRACK SWATHS PATTERN 120°
NUMBER OF BEAMS ON ACROSS TRACK SWATH 64
NUMBER OF BEAMS ON ALONGSIDE SWATH 64
BEAM STABILIZATION RX + TX
WEIGHT 60 Kg (24 Kg for portable version)
TRANSMISSION POWER 2 kW (4 kW in option)
APPLICATIONS Fishery and fishery research, hydrography, marine science
Key benefits
• Mills Cross dual multibeam swaths
in a single compact antenna housing
with embedded IMU
• Advanced chirp frequency
modulation
• Real-time 3D sonar covering a
pyramidal 120° water volume with
high resolution
• Easy to integrate (hull, buoy,
or pole mounted)
• Sea proven
• Compatibility with GECDIS
systems, Olex (for bathymetry),
Echoview (water column analysis)
and Delph software
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Based on 30 years solid experience, Delph suite solves industry bottlenecks by bringing down the time and cost of geophysical data processing and mapping with a focus on the quality of the final result. This new software generation optimizes the workflows allowing real-time data interpretation during the acquisition process.
Designed in a collaborative approach with key users they fit the market specifications and increase productivity. The better/smarter tools for geophysicists, the multi-sensor data integration and QC at all levels improve the level of the deliverable final report of any type of survey.
iXblue provides different soft for your unique need.
Delph acquisition software is a unified data logging solution that safety monitors
and records side-scan-sonar, seismic, and sub-bottom profiler data in a simplified user-interface. It focuses on reliability online Q.C.
Delph interpretation software efficiently turns geophysical data into geographic information layers that seamlessly integrate in Delph 3D geographic visualization or any other geographical information system. The common user interface and global viewer approach to handle sonar and sub- bottom data brings user a dedicated tool to process and analyze data with a major gain in productivity.
Delph seismic is the most complete acquisition, processing and interpretation software package designed to provide geologists and geophysicists with an easy access to all data collected
from high resolution seismic systems and sub-bottom profilers. It’s the ideal solution for use in all types of surveys.
Delph sonar is a complete acquisition, processing, and interpretation software designed to easily perform accurate and productive side-scan-sonar surveys. Providing an optimal Q.C. at any stage and relying on a powerful workflow and ease-of-use, side-scan-sonar mapping has never been so fast.
Delph mag locator offers a unique operational solution for the mapping of buried objects: in a few comprehensive steps, it filters and maps magnetic anomalies. Although requiring no prior expertise, it provides an accurate magnetic anomaly map to locate magnetic sources.
SEAFLOOR MAPPING SOFTWARE
Delph software suite
focuses on the acquisition
and processing of
geophysical data. From
the tight integration of
sensors to cartographic
deliverables, Delph handles
the transformation from raw
side-scan sonar,
sub-bottom profilers,
seismic and magnetometer
data to mapping products
in a very logical and
ultra-efficient workflow.
Geophysical software for efficient processing of multi-sensor datasets
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Delph Seismic Delph Sonar
ACQUISITION
ANALOG ACQUISITION UNIT ACQUISITION
INTERPRETATION
INTERPRETATION• Digital sub-bottom profilers•
• Quality control indicators
• Master/slave acquisition modes
• Easy interfacing to navigation data
• Raw data logging to XTF and SEGY
• Real-Time navigation display
• 24-bit analog to digital conversion
• 1 to 24 channels
• Ethernet output
• Embedded serial ports
• Opened to most digital side-scan sonars
• Driver-based interfacing
• Single and dual frequency support
• Easy interfacing to navigation data
• Quality control indicators
• Raw data logging to XTF format
General• Opened to all SEGY and XTF formats
• Global profile display with zoom and pan
Processing• Extensive data processing library
• Complete vertical data correction
• Processed data available in SEGY
• Batch data processing
Interpretation• Complete data interpretation tools
• Automatic seabed and horizon tracking
• Ground-truthing data integration
• Cross sections display and browsing
• Batch interpretation and raster export
Mapping• 3D geo-referenced interpretation display
• 3D synchronized cursor link
• 2D/3D manual annotations and contouring
• Terrain model generation from reflectors
• Isopach map and contours generation
• Bathymetry modeling from XYZ data
• Navigation and background layers
General• Opened to industry standard XTF formats
• Global profile display with zoom and pan
Processing• Complete and fast data processing
• T.V.G. gain calibration on sonar data
• Fine bottom tracking tools
• Batch data processing
Interpretation• Complete data interpretation tools
• Target picking on the profile or a mosaic
• Contact management and classification
• Batch interpretation reporting
Mapping• 2D/3D coverage map
• 3D synchronized cursor link
• Batch sonar mosaicking to geo TIFF
• Sonar mosaic comparison tools
• Supervised sonar mosaic classification
• 2D/3D manual annotations and contouring
• Geo-referenced sonar targets
• Contact map generation
• Bathymetry modeling from XYZ data
• Navigation and background layers
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VESSELS AND DRONES
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The increasing needs for maritime surveys worldwide implies to put more sensors into the water. With platforms more relevant than ever, due to budget control matters. Established on a solid and recognized technical background iXblue is innovation-driven, and benefits from iXblue’s in-house vertical integration. It provides its customers with a relevant range of safe, cost-efficient and profit making vessels and derivate.
ChallengesThe level of surveys needs at sea has never been higher than it is today. Unsurprisingly, this unprecedented rise results from the growing interest that an ever-increasing and connected world population is paying to the maritime resources. Needs for marine surveys encompasses a number of new applications with economic or regulatory consequences at hand. Extensive submarine cable networks, new maritime trade routes using northern passages, development of adventure cruises, agriculture on the seabed are all but a few examples of the explosion of the survey needs, both in charted and uncharted territory.At iXblue, we have been providing solutions for our customers operating in Marine Works applications for years. We identified a number of guidelines and added a few over time, in order to accompany the
current trends and provide our customers with success enabling assets. We consider not only the building phase but also the entire vessel’s operational lifespan. We implement from the design phase, solutions which will allow our customers to:• Reduce hazards of going
at sea;• Control operational costs; • Make profits.
SolutionsIn order to reach that goal, as shipbuilders, we settled on different technical solutions.• The use of composite
as our main building material, in order to make lighter and more efficient vessels (weight/power favourable ratio, reduction of vibrations and vessels radiated noise, reduced total cost of ownership over the operational lifespan…);
• Moulding process and a CNC 5 axis milling machine for designing
perfect moulds and make the best of hydrodynamics;
• Vacuum infusion process to allow a perfect spread of resin and a uniform resilience factor on the whole structure;
• An innovative approach to fibers use (international patents on fibers beams/studs to have lighter yet tougher structures);
• Non osmosis resin system use;
Those technical skills and relevant choices were strengthen over the year, leading to a number of international and national sales, as well as world record breaking achievements (vacuum infusion).With that technical background firmly established, we continued on developing the design part. No technical boundaries are accepted within the certification frame (our vessels are IACS certified), and our design office keeps an open mind
on each new project, the unique goal being to keep the customer satisfied.The long lasting in-house vertical integration both with our Survey/ Services or our sensors divisions explains why our vessels seldom have any equivalent on the market and why we operate mainly on repeat orders.
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An 80 feet range was also born, with the iXcraft 80, a hybrid harbour and coastal marine work support vessel. Interestingly, its hull is made of aluminium.
A major add-on was also brought to market at the end of 2017. DriX is the first totally unmanned solution with no human references in the design. This offshore-going, 8-meters Autonomous Unmanned Surface Vessel is in our view a game changer on the Geosciences and offshore Energy markets. Thanks to its Launch and Recovery System
(LARS), it allows to drastically reduce surveys costs, the use of non-dedicated support vessels, and tremendously enhances existing research vessels by putting extra sensors in the water.
iXblue offers a range of workboats, research vessels, unmanned solutions, as well as derivate such as tailor-made gondolas and hydrographic buoys. iXblue also operates as a third party composite ship parts builder.
The already well-known range of forty-footer welcomed a Windfarm daughter craft, the iXwork 40 WF. Designed from the sea-proven deep V-shape hull, it provides an utmost stability at sea and is used for dispatching personal and conducting intervention on site from a mother ship Service Operation Vessel (SOV).
VESSELS AND DRONES
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Based on our unique approach to shipbuilding, iXblue offers a comprehensive range of pilot boats, workboats, daughter boats for wind farms, as well as survey vessels of various sizes.
To design our workboats and survey vessels to the highest standard, we resort to in-house technological breakthrough as well as on the combined experience of our shipyard and our former and seafaring employees. During the building phase, our leading expertise in vacuum infusion combined with a moulding process and the use of GRP (composite material), we achieve lighter, tougher, and more efficient workboat for our markets.
iXblue’s comprehensive range of research vessels, gondolas and buoys of various sizes fueled by a bespoke integration processes of shipbuilding, in-house survey equipment and services company.
iXblue’s customer care culture aims to exceed client expectations. A spotlight on continuous process improvement enriched with client return of experience keeps our client’s fleet up to deliver quality results during mission challenges.
Benefits
• No corrosion (low maintenance)
• Lighter vessels outfitted with smaller
engines yields same performances
enhanced with lower fuel
consumption (low carbon footprint)
• Innovative solutions
for lifting equipment
• Possibility to have an “all iXblue” ship
(equipment) through one supplier
• Architecture open to third
party suppliers.
Features
• Composite construction methods
• Vacuum infusion
• Moulding process
(timely construction,
perfected shaping process)
• Choice of propulsion (azimuthal pods,
traditional, waterjets, hybrid)
Application differenciators
• Sea-proven series
• Advantages enriched with sea proven
designs (including the hull)
• All our ships are IACS approved
• Client participation through
every step of the design and
building phases
• In-house survey division available to
provide return of experience every step
of the way.
WORKBOATS AND SURVEY VESSELS
Designed by surveyors for surveyors
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iXpilot 40 iXwork 40 WF iXship 50 iXwork 70 iXcat 80 iXcraft 80
AREA OF OPERATIONS
HARBOUR • • • • • •COASTAL • • • •HIGH SEAS • •OTHER INFORMATIONS
MISSIONTaking you safely to
your work areaExtending Wind Farm
Vessel capabilitiesDiving support, survey
vessel, buoy layer
Diving support, equipment layer,
harbour and coastal marine work
Survey, diving support, equipment layer
Diving support, harbor and coastal
Marine Work
LOA 11.95 m 11.95 m 14.50 m 20 m 24.90 m 23.9 m
MAX BEAM 3.80 m 3.80 m 4.10 m 8 m 8.0 m 7.8 m
MAX SPEED 30 knots 30 knots 22 knots 25 knots 13 knots 11 knots
DRAFT 0.81 m 0.81 m 1.0 m 1.60 m 2.10 m 1.61 m
WORKBOAT
TECHNICALSPECIFICATION
I XWORK 40 WF
Reda c t i on :
B e r t r and F ERGELOT S a l e s R ep re sen t a t i v e
D a t e : 2 8 /04 /2017 V i s a
V e r i f i c a t i o n :
J o na than PACE L LE Adm in i s t r a t i v e D i r e c t o r
D a t e : 0 2 /05 /2017 V i s a
App ro va l :
D am ien V IGNES P ro j e c t Manage r
D a t e : 0 2 /05 /2017 V i s a
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SURVEY VESSELS iXpatrol 40 iXship 50 iXcat 50 iXcat 80 iXship 120 iXship 140
AREA OF OPERATIONS
HARBOUR • • •COASTAL • • • • •HIGH SEAS • • • •OTHER INFORMATIONS
MISSIONTaking you safely to your
work areaDivers support, survey
vessel, buoy layerSurvey, diving support,
equipment layerSurvey, diving support,
equipement layerSurvey, diving support,
equipement layerSurvey, diving support,
equipement layer
LOA 11.95 m 14.50 m 15 m 24.90 m 36 m 43 m
MAX BEAM 3.80 m 4.10 m 6 m 8 m 9 m 9.80 m
MAX SPEED 30 knots 22 knots 18 knots 13 knots 13 knots 16 knots
DRAFT 0.81 m 1.0 m 1.50 m 2.10 m 3.20 m 3.40 m
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DriX operates from the surface into the depth. Thus, for DriX positioning is of the utmost importance, as is the stability of its communications with the surfaced world. In order to be able to deliver those most demanding qualities DriX brings:
DriX really is a Swiss army knife. For subsea positioning and tracking tasks, DriX can be fitted with a standard iXblue gondola integrating our seabed mapping solutions or any third party systems on the needs delivering the capability to:
DriX seaworthiness provides all the right capabilities to perform an excellent subsea positioning mission over an extended period of time in environmental conditions exceeding those of a traditional support vessel. DriX is a safe asset. Being unmanned, it keeps people out of harm’s
In addition to its excellent stability, DriX brings another major improvement to the game: a gondola.This already-known feature in the field of survey transcends the concept in providing:
• The best possible location for the payload. Bolted on a two-metre deep drop keel, always extended when DriX is underway, it puts the sensors under the bubbling effect zone generated by any type of vessel. It is also
• A long endurance (ranging from 5 to 10 days depending on the speed and the maritime environment, thanks to its energy-saving hydrodynamic design);
• Excellent manoeuvring capabilities and a wide range of speed (from 2 to 14 knots)
• Hydrographic survey• Coastal and harbour
monitoring• Hydro acoustic survey• Seabed mapping• Seabed automatic
classification• AUV tracking with
USBL systems integrated in the gondola
way. They operate it from a distance and gather the benefits without the risks. As an autonomous platform, it is designed to be as safe as possible. A number of software and physical layers have been superposed to provide the means to override it at any time. And because we are
as far as possible from DriX (already much dampenned by the use of composite materials) own engine noise. And thanks to the drop-keel structure and material, it is as vibration-free as it can get.
• A very good modularity. The type and size of the gondola varies according to the nature of the payload. A single DriX can operate a number of different gondolas. It brings to the market the capability of
• Specific kinematics for missions which require “hovering” capabilities
• An excellent platform stability up to sea state 4 and higher (in order to reduce the impact of the difference between the roughness of the surface and the calm of the depth and expand the working domain)
fully aware that working within a complex spread of equipment and vessels entails operating in close proximity, DriX is fitted with safety Never-to-exceed distances and obstacle avoidance systems which will avoid any risk of collision with another participating asset. Finaly, DriX comes
being truly multirole. All it takes (from a payload angle) to change DriX mission is to hoist it on the workdeck and bolt a new gondola in place of the previously fitted one.
• A real cost effectiveness. The gondola is tailor-crafted by iXblue Shipyard either to new or already customer owned payloads. If the payload size is of essence when the gondola is designed, other payload of equivalent dimensions
• A number of applications and payloads Thanks to its removable and replaceable gondola, DriX will enable any customer to use his own sensors and to adapt them to the mission at hand.
with a Launch And Recovery System (LARS), which reduces the manpower needed to bring it back on board. Before the end of 2018, the LARS will also be fitted with a replenishment at sea capability.
can be adapted within the same gondola afterwards. All it takes is to unbolt a hatch located under the gondola to remove the previous payload and put a new one in place. Cabling is preinstalled.
Thanks to its removable and replaceable gondola, DriX enables any customer to use their own survey devices and to adapt them to the mission at hand. DriX really is a Swiss knife.
An unrivalled Seaworthiness A number of applications and payloads
A safe asset for your Survey missions A second-to-none support for data gathering
UNMANNED SURFACE VEHICLE
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DISPLACEMENT 1.4 tons
BEAM 0.7m
HEIGHT 4.26 m (DK extended) / 3.66 m (DK retracted)
ENDURANCE Up to 7 days
CONTROL Fully autonomous, semi-autonomous, direct remote control
COMMUNICATIONS Line of sight (WiFi, radio, contact us for SATCOMS)
PAYLOAD POWER 1.9 to 3.7 kW
GONDOLA Tailor-made for your equipment
TYPES OF PAYLOADS USBL, MBES, Towed array light sonar, Side Scan Sonar, Sub Bottom Profiler
SPEED 2 to 14 knots
250 l fuel tank
37.5 HP diesel engine
Rudder Blade
Propeller & shaft
7,7 m
Drop Keel
2 m
Gondola & Payload
Mast
Keelhoisting engine
Sound Auto Speed Cast System
Rafale Crown
Crow Nest
ElectronicsAuto PilotMission BayPower Grid
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www.ixblue.com