Repeatable, configurable, long-term surveillance

The Autonomous Monitoring Transponder (AMT) is a long-endurance transponder engineered for your long term subsea survey tasks and is capable of autonomously acquiring acoustic ranges and sensor data without surface control.

AMTs can detect subtle movement often not picked up by traditional ROV surveys so it’s ideal for monitoring slow movements, like creeping or buckling pipelines. Using structure and seafloor transponder buckets, they can be ROV-deployed, removed and re-installed to provide insight over time. Your AMTs can be configured to take measurements at specific intervals and be adjusted on-demand by you as your campaign progresses. Data can even be collected in real time using a USV should your operation need it.

As it’s collected, data is time-stamped and logged internally for recovery via the integrated high-speed acoustic telemetry modem. This autonomy allows measurements to be made over a long period of time without requiring a surface vessel or ROV to command the process. This enables new applications that save vessel and survey time so reducing cost and risk.

At a glance

• Recommended for long endurance site surveys
• Leave it deployed for six years or more
• Extensive choice of monitoring sensors
• Depth rated to 3,000 m
• Harvest data using a ship, buoy, AUV or USV

AMT has many of the same acoustic functions as Compatt 6, our most popular navigation transponder. It operates in the Medium Frequency (MF) band and is fully Sonardyne Wideband 2 compatible.

Precision pressure, temperature, sound velocity and dual-axis inclinometer sensors are integrated and are intelligently powered up at the requested time and sampling period, providing an ultra-low power platform for up to three years deployment. Sampling regimes can be re-programmed, and recovery of all data can be achieved via the acoustic modem.

The instrument is available with a range of omni and directional transducers, depth ratings and pressure housings dependent on deployment duration and application. Additional external sensors can be easily integrated via the power and communications port.

Secure and reliable

When safety is paramount in your survey and clearance operations, IT 6 offers a solution to ensure your success.

For energy: With any offshore energy development, there’s the potential to encounter unexploded ordnance (UXO). IT 6 improves the safety and efficiency of clearance operations, keeping your personnel away from risk and your project on track.

For defence: An important new addition to the MCM and underwater ordnance playbook, IT 6 helps your clearance divers and robotic platforms dispose of modern day and historical ordnance, quickly and effectively.

IT 6 is based on our field-proven Wideband 2 digital signal technology, which offers a reliable and long-range underwater wireless communications link. With IT 6, your personnel no longer need to hard wire mine neutralisers up to signal relay buoys on the surface and can set up an initiation operation in bad weather and outside of daylight hours.

Initiation Transponder 6 (IT 6) is designed to be connected directly to a remotely deployed, non-electric (NONEL) mine neutralisation device, such as a Viper from ECS Special Projects. This allows commercial and naval EOD teams to send a wireless, acoustic command from their vessel to initiate a shock tube.

It can be placed directly by a clearance diver or remotely operated vehicles (ROV). Divers and ROVs are constrained by the equipment and payload they can carry so we’ve designed IT 6 to be small and lightweight yet tough enough to withstand everyday operational situations.

With use cases from offshore renewable energy to government and defence, IT 6 transponders are suitable for high order detonation and low order deflagration scenarios.

At a glance:

• Efficient, secure, safe
• 357 mm tall by 55 mm in diameter; 0.10 kg weight in water; designed to be carried by clearance divers or small ROVs
• Controlled using IP67-rated Deck Topside and cabled acoustic dunker
• Safe: automatic time-outs, hydrostatic switch, independent circuits for acoustics and firing
• Built using 6G hardware and Wideband 2 digital signal architecture: track with our Ranger 2 family of USBL tracking systems

Built for your UXO, MCM and EOD missions

Wireless

Underwater acoustic command and control is in our DNA, so IT 6 can be considered as reliable and as secure as traditional methods involving shock tubes and a lot safer than electrical detonation lines.

Safe

Safety and simplicity are key with the IT 6 and it features several fixed and user-configurable safety features.

Firstly, the IT 6 comes complete with a hydrostatic switch, which means the unit cannot be put into an armed state when shallower than the fixed hydrostatic switch depth. If recovered back to deck, the IT 6 will also render itself impossible to arm when it goes below the minimum allowed depth.

Configurable off-deck delays and seabed timeouts mean fixed arming and firing windows can be set. The internal circuitry of the IT 6 also means that no power is applied to the independent detonation circuitry until the operator chooses to fire/initiate the NONEL output from the IT 6.

The clear housing on the IT 6 contains three status LEDs which allow the operator to quickly assess the state of the transponder and its safety. A magnetic ‘remove before use’ pin also means the IT 6 has a long operational battery life and can be powered down completely when not in use.

IT 6 is controlled using our field-proven Deck Topside system. Environmentally rated to IP67, the topside features a daylight readable 7-inch resistive touch screen, physical initiate/arm buttons and rechargeable battery – perfect for operating from small craft with no external power.

A further operational benefit of IT 6 is that its location can be tracked using any our Ranger 2 USBL systems which are installed on hundreds of energy, defence and science vessels globally.

What's possible

You need transponders to be tough, reliable and easy to work with. RT 6-3000 meets these requirements.

Part of our range of acoustic releases, RT 6-3000 combines our extensive mechanical design track record and many years of subsea mooring experience with the flexibility of our 6G platform. The result is an enhanced battery life and, perhaps most significantly, compatibility with our Ranger 2 USBL family.

Deploy. Track. Locate. Recover.

With RT 6-3000, you can use your Ranger 2 USBL to deploy, track, locate and command the instrument – removing the need for a separate topside unit.

If you don’t have access to a Ranger 2 USBL, our rugged and lightweight Deck Topside with an over-the-side dunker is all you need to configure and command your RT 6-3000s.

RT 6-3000s are used to anchor oceanographic moorings to the seabed. However, their compact size and compatibility with Ranger 2 makes them ideal for incorporation into instrument frames or lowered platforms to enable deployment of sub-system packages. Depth rated to 3,000 m, the maximum slant range for operation is dependent on the noise environment and topside used, but ranges to 4,500 m are achievable.

A battery disconnect fob is located on the transducer and uses an internal magnetic switch to electronically disconnect the battery when not in use. This means you don’t have to open the unit to manually disconnect the battery, saving time and reducing the risk of incorrect re-assembly.

Standard features include a Working Load Limit (WLL) of 1,275 kg (at 4:1) and the same trusted spring-assisted release mechanism used on thousands of Sonardyne transponders globally for many years. RT 6-3000 is compatible with our standard tandem and high-load release frames for scenarios requiring a higher WLL.

Speak to us about your requirements as custom frames are also an option.

SMART precision monitoring for your offshore assets

Unlock invaluable insights about the health and performance of your critical offshore structures, pipelines, and risers with your SMART monitoring system.

Tailor-made for your needs

We understand that no two offshore missions are the same. With a wide range of configurable sensor options, SMART can be customised to meet the precise monitoring requirements of your offshore mission. Our team will work with you to design and fabricate specialised mounting brackets and clamps to seamlessly integrate SMART into your infrastructure, including ROV-friendly setups for fast, efficient installation and retrieval.

Powerful onboard analytics

SMART’s advanced onboard processor enables sophisticated data analysis and processing right at the source. Advanced algorithms extract meaningful insights from raw sensor data, transforming high-bandwidth inputs into compact, critical updates that keep you informed on the status of your assets. Smart power management ensures long deployment times between maintenance. A low power data logger enables data received from external and internal sources to be securely archived using dual redundant storage.

Flexible data harvesting

Transmit stored data to the surface via industry-leading acoustic telemetry or high-bandwidth optical communication links. SMART integrates with your existing systems and workflows, with configurable software options to suit your needs – from standard diagnostics to custom analysis and visualisation tools.

SMART uses our trusted Wideband 2 acoustic telemetry module for your seafloor to surface communications. Operating in the Medium Frequency (MF) or Low Medium Frequency (LMF) band, there are options for omni-directional and directional transducers with high output powers for use in deep water and in challenging acoustic environments.

By utilising our Wideband 2 advanced spread spectrum coding, SMART can transmit your stored data at rates of up to 9,000 bps to topside transceivers and modems including our HPT 5000, Modem 6 and Dunker 6. An Ethernet connection to a BlueComm high bandwidth optical communication link enables larger quantities of data to be harvested from ROV, AUV or USV.

Dependable performance

SMART is engineered for precision, reliability, and flexibility. Trusted by leading offshore operators, this advanced monitoring system delivers the actionable intelligence you need to make informed decisions and protect your critical investments.

At a glance

• Battery options to support campaigns in excess of 10 years
• Can be deployed and recovered using ROV
• 3,000 m standard depth rating; options for 7,000 m
• Onboard logging and processing of data; offloaded acoustically on demand
• Built on our low power 6G hardware platform and Wideband 2 digital signal architecture for reliable acoustic performance in noisy conditions

Small in size, big in performance

AvTrak 6 Nano may be our smallest acoustic transceiver, but its features and performance are anything but.

It’s built on the same 6G hardware and Wideband 2 digital signal architecture found in its larger cousin, AvTrak 6, all packed into the smallest possible form factor.

Use it with our popular MF USBL Ranger 2 family to track your AUVs or seafloor nodes. Then use the Sonardyne Messaging Service (SMS) to exchange status messages with the USBL or other AvTrak 6 Nanos in your vicinity. With hundreds of units in the field, AvTrak 6 Nano is ideal for AUV swarms.

Like its larger cousin, AvTrak 6 Nano has been developed to meet the requirements of a wide variety of AUV mission scenarios, vehicle types and the operational demands for different industries.

For energy – it’s not just for AUVs. Integrate AvTrak 6 Nano with your seabed nodes and you have a network of sensors that can position and communicate with each other.

For defence – its small form factor and ability to enable surface to AUV or AUV-to-AUV communications, makes it a prime option for swarm or squad robotics operations.

For science – AvTrak 6 Nano enables an AUV to undertake simultaneous USBL tracking and telemetry with a research vessel, as well as AUV-to-AUV communications making your projects more cost and time efficient.

At a glance

• Tracking, communications, and emergency relocation in one instrument
• Use with Ranger 2 to track every move your AUV makes
• Bi-directional acoustic modem with user selectable data rates; 200-9,000 bps
• Wide voltage input range and multiple communication methods for robotics integration
• Optimised for Ranger 2 Robotics pack for aiding navigation systems with remote position outputs
• Housed variant or OEM for integration into vehicles

Mini but mighty

AvTrak 6 Nano measures just 192 x 55 mm, you won’t find a smaller AUV transceiver with this much capability. It has an operating range of 3,000 m, a depth rating of 500 m and full SMS and Modem functionality.

Going smaller still, AvTrak 6 OEM Nano redefines nano, measuring at just 95 mm x 43 mm. You won’t find a smaller OEM AUV transceiver with this much capability. Its omni-directional transducer is small too, at 49 mm diameter and 72 mm long.

Equipped with AvTrak 6 Nano, your AUV will receive unlimited data and share messages every navigation cycle when used with Ranger 2. By supporting the integration of a data payload inside every navigation signal, this allows more data to be transferred to and from AUVs with fewer transmissions which ultimately reduces power consumption and increases mission endurance.

A common configuration enables the USBL system to communicate with a squad of AUVs equipped with AvTrak 6 Nanos, broadcasting to all the position of each member of the squad to aid the navigation solution and improve their situational awareness. Each AUV then replies in sequence with status information.

AvTrak 6 Nano can also be used to enable AUV-to-AUV communications and choose from seven telemetry schemes ranging from 200 bps to 9,000 bps of effective user bandwidth. Either for short burst communications or full large quantity data upload from seabed monuments.

Add AvTrak, add capability to your AUV

AvTrak 6 has been designed to form part of your integrated AUV tracking and navigation system.

Built on our 6G hardware platform running secure Wideband 2 spread-spectrum signal processing, AvTrak 6 combines the functions of transponder, transceiver and telemetry link in one low power unit that meets the requirements of a wide variety of AUV mission scenarios, vehicle types and the operational demands for different industries.

For energy – whether you’re operating a resident vehicle over-the-horizon or deploying an AUV for a pipeline inspection, AvTrak 6 is a key enabler for your oilfield and renewable energy projects.

For defence – AvTrak 6 technology provides amazing flexibility bringing together tracking, navigation aiding and secure battlespace communications into one low logistics payload that’s perfect for unmanned covert and swarm missions.

For science – AvTrak 6 is an excellent choice for your long-endurance ocean observation platforms, with the added ability to communicate and download data from seafloor sensor arrays.

The unit is fully compatible with our family of survey quality LBL and USBL navigation systems. It supports Sonardyne Messaging Service (SMS) allowing USBL position fixes to be sent to your vehicle or for status messages to be retrieved from the topside system.

At a glance

• Combines tracking, communications, and emergency pinger functionality in one instrument
• Track your AUV in USBL mode, localise it in LBL transponder mode
• Bi-directional acoustic modem with user selectable data rates; 200-9,000 bps
• Integrated outputs enable control of a release, burn-wire or drop-weight functions
• Worried about onboard power interruption? AvTrak’s internal battery provides days of emergency vehicle relocation tracking
• Choice of hardware configurations to simplify vehicle installation

Are you ready to add the AvTrak advantage?

AvTrak 6 is available in a variety of configurations to meet your mission profiles.

A popular option is an omni-directional unit with integral or remote transducer options. For operations at depth, an integral directional transducer option is common.

A flexible configuration assists the AUV manufacturer with the mounting of AvTrak 6 within the AUV and ensures the highest levels of acoustic performance. Low-medium frequency (LMF) and high-power (HP) versions of AvTrak 6 are also available.

An AUV equipped with AvTrak 6 can receive navigation updates from any 6G compatible USBL or LBL system, send status updates to multiple 6G instruments including other AUVs and synchronise clocks with other 6G instruments to better than 50 microseconds as standard.

That’s not all, there is an option to include an HPR400 Series tone for compatibility with a variety of other acoustic systems and transponders and another option to enable a RSPSK Modem upgrade for large volume data transfers.

It’s simple to integrate to your AUV using our rich 6G protocols and command language and RS232 serial interface. Choose from over 600 independent acoustic addresses and AvTrak 6 enables your AUV to work as part of a swarm if required.

Entry level – next level

What's possible

The RT 6-1000 is the versatile acoustic release transponder for your subsea operations. It can be commanded from multiple sources, including the Deck Topside, an Android app, or any Ranger 2 USBL system. This flexibility allows you to easily deploy, track, locate and retrieve your seabed equipment and ocean sensors.

One of the key advantages of the RT 6-1000 is its depth rating of 1,000 metres and weight load limit of 150 kg. This depth and payload capacity make it an ideal choice for scientists, surveyors, and military personnel who require a reliable and enduring solution for their underwater applications.

The RT 6-1000 is compatible with Sonardyne’s Ranger 2 USBL tracking systems, which are widely used on survey vessels around the world. This integration allows for seamless deployment, tracking, and retrieval of your equipment. No access to Ranger 2? No problem, the RT 6-1000’s NFC capability enables setup and control via its Android app or a dedicated Deck Topside unit.

Deploy. Track. Locate. Recover

At a glance

• The reliable choice to deploy, leave and recover seafloor equipment and sensors
• 1,000 metre depth rating; twice that of similar low-cost acoustic release transponders
• Tested, loaded, commanded and released using Deck Topside
• Also works with any Ranger 2 USBL to track it and activate it
• >13-month battery life means less time servicing it and more time using it
• 150 kg Working Load Limit to support your sensors and instruments
• Optional rope canister for heavy lifting

The RT 6-1000 offers impressive endurance, with a battery life of up to 13 months, making it well-suited for long-term deployments and year-long surveys. Its screw-off release mechanism ensures reliable recovery of the transponder and your equipment.

An optional rope canister attachment allows you to quickly and easily raise items left on the seabed, such as tools, cables and salvage. The canister deploys a high-strength rope as the transponder ascends, providing a convenient means of retrieval.

What is possible

Ranger 2 comes with an impressive list of features including our award-winning 6G (sixth generation) acoustic hardware platform and Sonardyne Wideband 2 digital signal architecture. It provides stable and repeatable acoustic position referencing for your ship’s DP system, including those from GE, Kongsberg, MT, Navis, Thrustmaster and Wärtsilä.

As your needs grow and become more complex, bolt-on software packs unlock additional capability and protect your investment. Take the DP pack and enable your acoustic ranging to be aided by our inertial navigation technology (DP-INS). Add the robotics pack and commanding a swarm of up to 99 AUV’s is at your fingertips.

Ranger 2 can do even more, it also supports robust two-way data telemetry, allowing you to control our range of seafloor deployed, long-endurance sensors and recover your all-important data.

Track everything, in any depth, from any vessel

Why choose it?

• Tracks multiple targets to 11 km;
• Compatible with all makes of DP system – GE, Kongsberg, MT
• System accuracy: when fully optimised it will deliver 0.04% of slant range
• Works with a global inventory of pre-deployed Sonardyne 6G hardware
• Configurations available for USV and temporary vessel installations
• Valuable features included as standard
• Bolt-on packs available for growth with your operations and ambitions
• Developed and supported by a company with over 50 years of experience in innovative underwater technology

The kit

Transceivers

Our High Performance Transceiver (HPT), is available in a range of different designs to suit your operations whether they are in deep or shallow water or over a long layback.

HPT 5000 / 7000 are acoustic and telemetry transceivers designed for use with Ranger 2 USBL system. HPT 5000 enables targets offer wide range of water depths to be tracked; HPT 7000 is optimised for noisy DP drilling and construction vessels and in deep water.

HPT 5000 offers full hemispherical acoustic coverage so is a popular choice for tracking multiple targets (ROVs, AUVs, towfish, seafloor sensors) over a wide range of depths and elevations. The unit is also suitable for dynamic positioning reference on survey, research and offshore support vessels.

HPT 7000 is engineered for ultra-deepwater operations, tracking targets far below (rather than to the side of) a vessel, and for high vessel noise operating environments such as those typical of DP, drilling and construction where activity from thrusters is liable to cause signal interference.

If you need a solution for a vessel of opportunity, our pre-calibrated, all-in-one Gyro USBL transceiver is perfect. Lighter, smaller and just as capable, our second-generation Gyro USBL transceiver works seamlessly with Ranger 2 to track the position of your subsea targets from a USV, vessel of opportunity or from a pipelay vessel’s stinger over extreme ranges.

• All-in-one instrument; combined 6G acoustic transceiver and AHRS
• Choose between standard or ‘plus’ variants to suit your project’s specifications
• Optimises the performance of Ranger 2; eliminates lever arm offsets, pole bending and ship flexing errors
• Calibrated in-water before delivery – saving you time; install it and go to work

Transponders

The flexibility of the Ranger 2 family is further extended by our range of transponders to support a wide variety of your operations. WMT is a high-power transponder capable of operations to 7,000 m, while AvTrak 6 is our most capable acoustic vehicle instrument, combining the functions of a USBL transponder, LBL transceiver and modem for demanding applications such as AUV command and control.

Precise, seamless, robust

Precision engineered, Marksman leverages the strengths of both USBL and LBL acoustics, providing enhanced precision and range redundancy through seabed transponder networks.

Marksman seamlessly integrates with your existing DP system, whether you’re running GE, Kongsberg, MT, Navis, Rolls-Royce or Wärtsilä.

Robust and reliable dual independent hardware configurations provide redundancy to ensure your critical operations can continue even if part of the system becomes unavailable. There is also option of operating in triple redundancy configuration through the augmentation of our inertial navigation technology – known as DP-INS.

DP-INS has been developed to meet regulatory requirements which state that deep water drilling units must be equipped with three independent positioning reference inputs to their DP system. Traditionally, an acoustic positioning system and two separate GNSS systems are used.

However, vulnerability remains should the acoustics be affected by aeration and noise and both GNSS systems simultaneously affected by signal disruption. The latter is particularly common around equatorial regions and during periods of high solar radiation. Marksman removes this vulnerability by reducing the reliance on GNSS.

How Marksman elevates your operations

The Marksman system, built on ground-breaking 6G and Wideband 2 technology platforms, offers a comprehensive solution that combines faster, more robust data transmission with precision acoustic ranging that remains immune to vessel and ROV noise.

This trusted system, widely adopted by leading offshore energy operators in the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, and West Africa, delivers uncompromising precision and global tracking capabilities at any depth, while seamlessly integrating with DP systems. Its dual and triple redundant configurations, immunity to GNSS disruptions, and extended battery life make it ideal for semi-permanent seabed deployments.

The system excels in mission-critical applications including riser monitoring and dynamic positioning reference, while offering valuable additional capabilities such as acoustic riser angle monitoring, backup BOP acoustic control, and data recovery from seafloor sensors. With its future-proof platform, simple user interface, and proven reliability, Marksman is the premier choice for operators requiring robust performance in demanding offshore environments.

Marksman at a glance

• Optimised for precise, repeatable positioning to save on fuel costs
• Compatible with all leading DP systems – Class 2 and 3 certified
• Dual and triple redundant configurations for ultimate reliability
• Global tracking capabilities in any water depth
• Precision operations in the harshest environments

Pick your kit, operate at any depth

Deck Topside is the robust and versatile solution for commanding and controlling your Sonardyne acoustic release or initiation transponders, empowering you to navigate your operations with confidence and efficiency. The ability to support both types of transponder ensures you have the flexibility to meet your specific needs, whether it’s releasing underwater equipment or initiating mine neutralisation operations.

Deck Topside is supplied with cabled Nano dunker transceivers to enable command and control at any water depth and over any range. They simply plug into the transceiver port on the side of Deck Topside and are suspended over the side of your vessel. Ten metres of cable are supplied as standard with a 20-metre extension cable also available.

Depending on which RT6 you have, there are different deck kits available, from shallow to deep. The shallow water deck kit is a workhorse for your operations requiring ranges of less than 1, 000 m, so perfect with RT 6-1000. For operations deeper than this, our mid water and deep water deck kits are perfect. Use the mid water kit with RT 6-3000.The deep water deck kit utilises our long range, LMF-frequency band for use with RT 6 HD.

Tough and simple to use all day long

Deck Topside is completely portable and perfectly at home working in harsh marine environments.

It features a high brightness, full colour 7-inch resistive touch screen display and an easy-to-use user interface (UI) which allow a host of parameters to be set, including environmental. The unit is IP67 rated when closed and IP66 when open and being operated.

Power up and choose which mode you want Deck Topside to work in; RT 6 or IT 6. The UIs are easy to use and require no special knowledge of underwater acoustics. As touch screens are not suitable for every weather or stage of a marine operation, physical buttons are used for critical tasks such as arming, initiating and releasing.

Power comes from an 12/24 V dc external input, and for those situations when you’re operating from a vessel with no external power, a Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery provides up to 8 hours of continuous use.

After a successful operation, you can download system logfiles and operational reports. Deck Topside can export a complete set of activity logs for all activities, and a PDF report for releases.

Futureproof your investment with expandable capabilities

Deck Topside has been engineered to allow the addition of future features and developments via in-field software upgrades, protecting your investment in Sonardyne underwater technology.

At a glance

• Provides full configuration, testing and control of all RT 6s and IT 6
• Use it in the workshop, back-deck or from a small boat
• Engineered using industry standard ruggedised case; IP67 rated
• Rechargeable battery provides 8 hours of use; supports external power input
• 7-inch full colour touchscreen display; daylight readable
• Physical buttons for safety critical operational sequences
• Supplied with 10 m cabled Nano dunker
• Portable, rugged, secure