Kraken Robotics Completes Successful Ocean Survey Campaign

Kraken Robotics Inc. has completed its third offshore data acquisition and technology demonstration campaign as part of the OceanVision™ project. The campaign, which ran from September 21 to October 18, focused on deploying the company's new SeaScout® system and gathering high-definition seabed imagery and mapping data in Atlantic Canada.

During the multi-week operation, the company utilized its KATFISH™ towed synthetic aperture sonar along with the Tentacle® winch and Autonomous Launch and Recovery System (ALARS). This setup was employed to survey marine habitats and iceberg scours, operating effectively even in Sea State 6 conditions. The flexibility of the KATFISH™ system was demonstrated, having been operated from eight different vessel types.

The campaign also marked the first offshore deployment of Kraken's Autonomous Launch and Recovery System (ALARS), following recent successful sea trials. Additionally, the SeaVision® laser profiler, integrated into the KATFISH™, was demonstrated offshore for the first time, intended to increase area coverage rates. These deployments occurred aboard Atlantic Towing Limited’s Atlantic Kingfisher vessel.

Kraken President and CEO Karl Kenny reported satisfaction with the campaign’s outcome, particularly highlighting the successful real-world testing of the ALARS system in challenging North Atlantic conditions. The company plans further campaigns in 2021 as part of OceanVision™, aiming to integrate new technologies like Multi-Spectral Synthetic Aperture Sonar and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to expand its "Robotics as a Service" offerings.