July 6, 18:41

Researchers develop autonomous underwater robot for monitoring subsea cables

Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have created an autonomous underwater vehicle system that can act as a 'supervisor' over structures located on the seabed. This technology was tested in real conditions and functions without the need for an onboard crew.

System Operating Principle

The equipment performs scheduled inspections of underwater installations, autonomously returns to a base located on the seabed, where charging occurs via induction and collected data is transmitted. The goal of the development is to enhance control over critical assets such as cables and pipelines installed in deep and remote areas.

Testing was conducted over four weeks of cumulative operation across two missions, achieving an automatic connection rate of 90%. However, the project still aims for complete reliability before being deployed without any direct supervision.

Monitoring Underwater Infrastructure

The development, conducted in Norway, arose from the need to monitor growing infrastructure on the seabed. This infrastructure includes intercontinental communication cables, oil and gas pipelines, and other elements vital to global energy and digital systems.

These installations are subject to a difficult environment and require constant monitoring. Currently, auxiliary vessels, divers, or remotely operated vehicles from the surface are used for this purpose. According to participating researchers, this approach entails high costs and limits the frequency of checks.

The new solution replaces some of this human activity with an underwater vehicle that remains based on the ocean floor. It goes out for inspections on a schedule and returns to a stationary station installed on the seabed, where it is charged and transmits the information gathered during the missions.

Navigation Without GPS

Since satellite signals are absent in the underwater environment, the robot uses a combination of navigation methods. These include acoustic signals for positioning at medium distances and visual analysis for identifying nearby landmarks relative to the docking station.

In the final approach phase, the system relies on optical recognition for precise alignment with the base. After contact, data is transmitted via high-frequency communication and charged by induction, eliminating the need for water-exposed connectors.

The base station is connected to onshore structures that provide external power and communication, allowing the system to remain active for extended periods without direct human intervention.

Test Results and Technical Challenges

During the experiments, the apparatus successfully performed inspection tasks and returned to the station autonomously in most attempts. The connection success rate reached 90%, which is promising, although not yet sufficient for fully independent operations.

Those responsible for the project emphasize that a failure in this process could jeopardize the entire operation, as the apparatus depends on returning to the base for recharging and data transmission. Otherwise, it could remain inoperable on the seabed until possible retrieval.

Another identified problem is the interpretation of images in the marine environment, as the presence of fish and other elements can interfere with visual recognition systems during navigation.

Future Applications of the Technology

The project integrates research initiatives in marine technologies, funded by Norwegian institutions and partners from the energy sector. Plans are underway to develop the system until it can operate for long periods with minimal or no direct supervision.