Hibbard Inshore Technology

Imaging Sonar
Underwater Imaging with sound - How to see through murky water and precisely dimension structures...

Video & Lighting
Video isn't just video: how fiber optics, gas discharge lights, camera types, and lighting patterns get results...

Vehicle Navigation Sensors
Compass depth gauge, a full inertial guidance...

Acoustic Positioning Systems
USBL and LBL positioning systems use hydrophones to locate ROV's, Divers, vessel and tools...

Manipulators, Tool Sleds and VAT's@
Hydraulic and electric tools that ROV's work with underwater.

Research & Archeology
Sensors and Tools from the scientific community.

There are three types of acoustic (or hydroacoustic) positioning systems typically used by industries involved in dynamic positioning: ultra short baseline (USBL), short baseline, and long baseline.

Acoustic Underwater Positioning Systems come in a variety of configurations but all accomplish the same task. A transponder on the ROV (diver, or tool) is interrogated acoustically from a hydrophone (or series of hydrophones) to determine the location of the transponder. Computer software integrates the relative location of the transponder (ROV, diver, tool) with the GPS (Global Positioning System) signal from satellites to determine the exact Latitude and Longitude coordinates. The different configurations of Accoustic Positioning Systems are differentiated by the number of hydrophones that locate the transponder on the ROV. A Long Baseline (LBL) system uses a number of hydrophones on the seafloor in combination with a hydrophone on the vessel to locate the ROV. An Ultra Short Baseline (USBL) system has one hydrophone assembly on the vessel to locate the transponder on the ROV. This assembly is hung over the side of the vessel. Acoustic navigation systems work best in open water and do not work at all in structures like tunnels.

Doppler Velocity Log (DVL) - This bottom-lock doppler navigation sensor is located on the ROV and bounces sound off of the surface below the ROV. The system reads the echo and determines how far the vehicle has moved. This sensor in combination with a very accurate inertial sensor platform can dead reckon navigate the ROV inside structures where acoustic positioning will not work.