Drix USV - Improving Safety and Margins Through Efficient Data Acquisition

The scope of the present paper is to show from concept to track record how iXblue maximized its clients financial and HSE results the use of DriX, an innovative yet seasoned Unmanned Surface Vehicle in the field of Survey and Energies industries. The overall approach was to create an offshore-going USV with data quality and speed of gathering as the two focal points. In order to do that, iXblue designed –A purely hydrodynamic shape with low water resistance and a higher tolerance to sea states–A gondola housing the sensors which provides the sensors with a perfect data gathering environment. I shall explain how iXblue suppressed the aeration effects on the sensors, and deeply dampened the vibrations and the USV radiated noise I will also show the audience our Launch and Recovery System, a corner stone for realistic Unmanned Operations at sea. The results were excellent. I shall show the audience how DriX exceeded expectations on the field by choosing past missions or trials and providing the audience with the results. These missions could be, for instance: Oil and Gas: Subsea Positioning: a Box-in in the Caspian Sea, performed in minutes; Renewable: Seabed Survey off the North Wales Coast in the UK in North Sea conditions, where DriX performed 3 times faster than a traditional asset; Survey: Multiple months survey in the Tonga islands in the Pacific Ocean along with a regular survey vessel; other missions within the Energy environment. The conclusions are that DriX is reliable, versatile and efficient. It has been designed with HSE and financial sense in mind. Almost two years in operations have shown that the goals have been reached, thanks to the guidance of a number of actors within the Energy Community. DriX is today operating daily around the world, and the scope of applications it does increases regularly. DriX ecosystem today encompasses number of capabilities that make it a relevant asset to own or rent. During the conference, I shall equally give a heads up on where we are planning to go in the next few months.