University enables company to advance offshore survey technology

An innovative international company has worked with the University of Plymouth to advance the development of its autonomous offshore survey technology.

Sulmara Subsea, which has bases across the world, spent two weeks working out of the University's waterfront Marine Station on a series of expeditionary trials.

Specifically, this focused on tests of the company's DriX USV platform, which it believes has the potential to reduce both the time and costs involved in surveying offshore renewable energy installations, decarbonising these operations in the process.

Technical specialists provided support to Sulmara during their trials thanks to the University's involvement in the Environmental Futures and Big Data Impact Lab project, funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

This included providing access to a remote operation centre facility within the Marine Station, to support the company's remote environmental survey operations. The University also offered support boats to ensure the effectiveness of the trial and maintain safety.

The company also engaged the next generation of the marine workforce by showcasing their methodologies and technology platform to students on the BSc (Hons) Ocean Exploration and Surveying and MSc Hydrography courses.

The work with Sulmara reinforces the University's reputation for world-leading marine and maritime research and teaching, and innovative industry collaborations that are being used to solve real world problems.

Both organisations are also part of the Future Autonomous at Sea Technologies (FAST) Cluster, which is pioneering the development and delivery of innovative marine autonomous solutions, such as platforms, sensors, advanced power systems and communication networks.

These are then trialled within Smart Sound Plymouth, Britain's premier proving area for designing, testing and developing cutting edge products and services for the marine sector.