Phoenix Awarded Submarine Rescue Contract - click here
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Phoenix Awarded Submarine Rescue Contract - click here
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PHOENIX DEVELOPS 7,000m MICRO-ROVThursday, June 12, 2003 -- Washington, DC -- Phoenix International, Inc., (Phoenix), announced the completion of an internal research and development (IRAD) project to design and build a family of small, low cost, inspection / video documentation Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs). The expendable ROVs, called “xBots”, are tiny vehicles (40cm x 33cm x 28cm) that weigh 27 kgs and are capable of operating to a water depth of 7,000 meters. xBots are highly maneuverable and particularly suited to penetrating deepwater wrecks and operating in very confined areas. They are ideal for carrying out detailed examinations in unstable geological areas, conducting inspections inside of fragile or decaying relics, and performing other hazardous missions where the loss of a vehicle must be a consideration. The low cost of an xBot makes it a very attractive asset to mission planners faced with a need to place an ROV into a high risk situation. The Phoenix design team reduced xBot’s size, weight, and cost by using oil compensated, pressure tolerant components, thus eliminating the need for pressure vessels and penetrators (except for the on-board camera). An xBot is battery powered and designed to operate from an underwater host platform (ROV, submersible, or sled) using a single small (1.5 mm diameter) fiber optic tether. The xBot can thereby extend the operating range of its host platform by increasing the host’s lateral reach or stand-off distance, or provide the host a greater depth capability. The vehicle incorporates a CCD color video camera and two white and blue LED arrays mounted on a 140-degree tilt mechanism. The xBots also have extra Input/Output channels for adding other sensors if desired. xBots are currently capable of operating from either of Phoenix’s 6,000 msw depth capable Remora ROVs. Phoenix is a marine services company providing quality manned and unmanned underwater services to an international customer base. Worldwide operations include Underwater Ship Inspection & Repair; US Navy & ABS Certified Underwater Welding; Remotely Operated Vehicle Services; Deep Ocean Search & Recovery; Submarine Rescue; and Engineering Design. Internal project resources include divers and diving systems, Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), remote sensing tools, and one-Atmosphere Diving System (ADS).
For More Information Contact: Phoenix International, Inc. 9301 Largo Drive West, Largo, MD, 20774 USA Tel: +1 (301) 341-7800 Fax: +
1 (301) 499-0027 |
