Norwegian technology enterprise Kongsberg Maritime announced that contracts have been signed for the sale of a HUGIN AUV System to the Indian National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), located in Chennai, India.
According to a statement from Kongsberg Maritime India, the HUGIN AUV System ordered by NIOT is rated to a depth of 6,000 metres and will be equipped with a Kongsberg HISAS 1032 synthetic aperture sonar and EM2040 multibeam echosounder, designed for hydrographic and seabed classification applications.
It will also carry a high-resolution colour still image camera, plus a range of environmental sensors for oceanographic surveys, including a magnetometer. This equipment array will facilitate the extremely demanding deep-sea scientific research and mapping programs of NIOT.
Kongsberg is dedicated to supporting its customers and offers world-class support for its products and their operators. This approach fits perfectly with one of the key requirements stipulated by NIOT; namely long-term support of the system, together with training and participation in scientific cruises for a period of at least three years after delivery.
Kongsberg Maritime is the world leader in deep water AUV systems. Since the first dive in 1993 HUGIN has become the most successful AUV in the deep-water realm, with more kilometers surveyed than any other untethered underwater vehicle.
Developed in partnership with FFI, the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment, HUGIN continues to improve with new capabilities, sensors and behaviors being added each year.
“We are honored to welcome NIOT to the HUGIN family,” said Richard Mills, Vice President of Marine Robotics Sales at Kongsberg Maritime. “Their new HUGIN AUV System is configured for their needs today and tomorrow with a multi-role capability. We look forward to working with the scientific teams from the Oceanographic Research Institutes of India over the coming years.”