Kongsberg Discovery is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the company’s inertial navigation product portfolio with the release of Seapath® 385, a system that combines new hardware and advanced navigation algorithms to unlock optimal precision for hydrographic surveying.
Seapath 385 combines state-of-the-art inertial technology and processing algorithms with multi-frequency GEO satellite signals, GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou, and QZSS. The system integrates raw, inertial sensor data either from Kongsberg Discovery’s high performance MGC® (Motion Gyro Compass) or MRU (Motion Reference Unit), together with GNSS data, and RTK, PPP or DGNSS (Differential GNSS) corrections.
For surveyors demanding the ultimate in precision, the benefits of the 385 range are compelling. Thanks to the system’s inertial sensor and updated navigation algorithms, dead reckoning performance is second to none. In addition, another layer of robustness is added by the innovative use of GNSS antennas for positioning and heading determination.
A new post processing format contains all necessary data and system configuration in a single file, with the possibility of achieving centimeter position accuracy through downloaded satellite orbit and clock data, or data logged from base stations.
The modular system, with a processing unit running all critical computations independent from the user interface on the HMI Unit, offers easy installation and continuous, reliable operation. Measurements are highly precise, with a data rate of up to 200 Hz at multiple monitoring points, easily accommodating sensors or systems relying on motion or position data across the vessel.
Vidar Bjørkedal, VP Sales at Kongsberg Discovery, said, “SeaPath™ 385 delivers unique performance, every time. Since 1994, Seapath has set the benchmark for excellence in hydrographic surveys across the entire ocean. The 385 pushes the bar higher than ever before. By uniting data from an array of critical sources, integrating our market leading inertial navigation technology, and then enhancing both the hardware – boosting processing power and upgrading interfaces – and refining our algorithms we’ve taken a new evolutionary step in this demanding technology niche.”
He continued, “For hydrographic surveying where high-precision heading, position, velocity, roll, pitch, heave and timing are critical, Seapath 385 stands alone. By building on the legacy of operational and technological expertise we’ve acquired over the last 30 years we can position ourselves to continually meet customer demand and solve challenges with this kind of breakthrough solution. It’s an exciting step forward, giving the market the means to facilitate next level seabed mapping for the most challenging applications and environments. It’ll be fascinating to see what results it achieves.”