Applied Acoustics has been working alongside SAND Geophysics for a number of years, supporting their on-going focus on providing USBL positioning for UXO survey projects requiring high accuracy.
SAND Geophysics Limited delivers comprehensive marine geophysical consultancy and survey assistance to professionals operating within offshore infrastructure environments. Navigating the challenging splash zone demands cutting-edge technological capabilities for executing high-resolution seismic, sidescan, and magnetometer investigations.
Experiencing limitations with conventional USBL positioning systems, the organization recognized escalating inefficiencies and potential project risks. Their strategic objective centered on discovering innovative approaches to deploying underwater beacons and traversing complex maritime operational zones.
Applied Acoustics received a critical challenge: develop a USBL system enabling enhanced precision and data acquisition for unexploded ordnance surveys and diver positioning requirements.
James Matthews, SAND Geophysics Director commented, “Seeing the upgraded Pyxis system and its rapid mobilisation and calibration was a key driver in our buying decision.”
The Pyxis INS + USBL system represents a breakthrough in subsea tracking technology, engineered to elevate performance metrics significantly. Applied Acoustics presented a comprehensive solution addressing SAND Geophysics’ operational hurdles, emphasizing rapid deployment, streamlined calibration, and exceptional reliability through advanced Sigma 2 spread spectrum technology.
“As a new system on the market we wanted to test it out before committing and were grateful to applied acoustics for assisting with a rental system for setup on our first project,” stated James Matthews.
Unlike traditional methodologies, the Pyxis system eliminates seabed beacon deployment, instead requiring vessel-based maneuvers for precise antenna and IMU offset calibration. This innovative approach dramatically reduces manual intervention, simultaneously enhancing team safety and operational efficiency.
James Matthew continued, “The decrease in calibration time for the Pyxis vs other USBL systems has increased our team’s performance and presented significant cost savings to our clients.“
Implementation of the Pyxis INS + USBL system yields remarkable improvements, with calibration times reduced by 200-300% depending on project specifications and environmental conditions. These substantial enhancements translate into considerable economic advantages for clients while ensuring state-of-the-art technological execution.
“The Pyxis system has been designed to increase the accuracy and efficiency of our clients’ projects, offering gains in performance, and significant time and cost savings. We’re delighted that SAND Geophysics and their clients are already benefiting from the system’s capability,” added Hollie Moran, Sales & Marketing Manager at Applied Acoustics.
