ELWAVE, a pioneer in subsea electric sensing, has introduced FieldGuard, a new passive sensor system designed to detect and monitor underwater electric activity with exceptional sensitivity.
At the core of FieldGuard is ELWAVE’s proprietary electric field sensing technology, reaching sub-10 picovolt-per-meter sensitivity at 1 Hz across a wide frequency band (DC to 4 kHz). This level of precision significantly exceeds current solutions for tracking subsea electric phenomena, enabling the detection of weak or low-frequency signals that conventional sensors typically miss, even from long distances.
In addition to its performance, FieldGuard includes advanced noise filtering and a fully solid-state architecture, enabling long-term deployments in a wide range of applications:
- Anti-submarine warfare and underwater surveillance, including detection of divers, UUVs, and submarines
- Buried cable tracking and infrastructure monitoring
- Electromagnetic signature analysis of vessels and subsea equipment
- Non-contact cathodic protection diagnostics for corrosion monitoring
- Environmental research in sensitive marine ecosystems
Designed for standalone operation or integration into existing sonar or hydrophone arrays, FieldGuard strengthens multi-modal detection strategies by identifying low-signature targets that traditional sonar may miss. Its ability to distinguish between objects based on their unique electric field profiles enhances situational awareness and response capabilities.
FieldGuard can be used as a standalone sensor or integrated with acoustic or magnetic systems. By detecting electric activity directly from a target, it enhances classification, reduces false positives, and improves detection in cluttered or low-visibility environments.
Inspired by the bioelectric sense of marine species such as sharks and rays, FieldGuard adapts this biological principle into a robust, scalable, and maintenance-free technology, free from chemical components and built to withstand harsh subsea conditions.
As subsea operations require higher sensitivity, lower impact, and seamless integration, FieldGuard represents a new class of electric sensing: silent, precise, and ready for the next generation of underwater monitoring and detection missions.
