Fleet of underwater sea vehicles ordered by Saab Seaeye

The first in a planned fleet of underwater electric robotic vehicles has been ordered by a leading company in the sector from a Hampshire firm.

The major investment signals a recognition by the oil and gas industry that Saab Seaeye’s Sabertooth unique design concept offers considerable benefits and cost savings to the sector.

Sabertooth is the only roaming and hovering system that can operate in both fully autonomous (AUV) and tethered (ROV) modes, enabling fully flexible dual operations from a single platform.

This means it can undertake a wide range of tasks including inspection, maintenance and repair, across a wide range of subsea operations to include site investigation surveys through to decommissioning support.

Saab Seaeye will work with their customer, who has not been named, in making significant further advances in the capability of Sabertooth in order to meet new demands from end-users. Their customer also sees the Sabertooth concept as significantly decreasing their own operating costs.

A suite of advanced survey sensors will come with each Sabertooth which will be configured to allow additional sensors to be quickly integrated for a range of project specific applications.

Helping make this, and further advances possible is Sabertooth’s iCON intelligent behaviour-based control architecture.

This comprises hardware and software building blocks that allow harmonious integration of systems and accelerate future developments.
Based in Brunel Way, Segensworth, Saab Seaeye is the world’s leading underwater e-robotics company. It has one of the most advanced range of tethered, autonomous and hybrid electric robotic systems, engineered to address the diverse range of tasks found across commercial, defence and scientific markets.

Saab Seaeye has recently expanded its production capacity by 50% with the opening of a new 24,000 sq ft factory.