- What is a USBL system?
- Installing the X010 USBL Beacon on the Blueye ROV
- Getting started with Blueprint Subsea PinPoint V2
What is a USBL system?
An acoustic positioning system can be used when you need to know the location of the ROV for extended periods of time. USBL is short for Ultra Short Base Line, which indicates the distance between each transducer (1-2 cm) in the USBL Transceiver head, as opposed to Long Base Line (LBL), which can have 100 m to 1 km between the transducers. The USBL system measures distance and direction to the ROV, which gives us a relative position estimate. By knowing the position and orientation of the topside transceiver, we can then calculate a global position. So the precision of the position and orientation of the transceiver is a critical factor for the final position estimate. Other sources of error can be caused by multipath, where the sound waves get reflected on hard surfaces or the sea surface. So it's important to think about the line of sight and try to minimize possible reflections to optimize your setup.
In this guide, we will show you how to install the USBL beacon onto the ROV and how to get started in the PinPoint software from BluePrint.
Installing the X010 USBL Beacon on the Blueye ROV
Start by powering off the ROV, removing the side covers, and the buoyancy parts.
Remove the nut from the handle.
Remove the nut and shim.
Attach the clamp ring by using the existing long screw.
Insert buoyancy parts in the battery cover.
Find the forward center mark. Align with forward on the ROV.
Attach the X010 beacon inside the clamp ring.
Lubricate the cable to ensure a waterproof connection.
Attach the connector to the X010 beacon.
Insert the Guest Port connector.
The Seatrac USBL beacon is compatible with all Guest Ports (GP1, GP2, GP3).
The wiring should be as shown above, so there is space for the buoyancy parts.
Install the Starboard side buoyancy and side cover. Check that the beacon cable is not squeezed.
Place the Port side buoyancy.
Put on the other side cover, and make sure no cables get squeezed and that it closes properly. The installation of the USBL X010 beacon is now complete.
Getting started with Blueprint Subsea PinPoint V2
- Download and install the PinPoint v2 software on the topside Windows computer and open the program.
This enables a faster update rate of new position estimates.
Warning! This update reconfigures the transceiver ID to 1 instead of 15, which was used in PinPoint V1. Therefore, if you need to run on V1 after this update, you will need to reconfigure the ID manually using the Seatrac Tools program.
- Internal compass
- Fixed heading (manual value)
- External GNSS compass (recommended for higher accuracy).
- Click on the "Add Beacon" icon on the bottom left.
- Click on the + icon and select an ROV.
- Enter the last 6 digits of the serial number on the tracking beacon. This can be seen from the outside of the ROV. In our case: 016840
- Click on the checkmark to save the settings.
Stationary operation:
Click on the map icon in the left menu, and right-click on the map where the transceiver is placed. Hit "Fix Position here".
Adjusting the fixed Heading manually:
- Fly the ROV to a known location on the map.
- Adjust the fixed heading orientation of the transceiver in PinPoint by testing values between 0–360° until the ROV’s position matches the map.
- Verify by flying the ROV to another known location and checking alignment.
You can find the "Setup Platform" settings from this view as well by clicking the downward arrow in the top center, and the ship icon.
Once the settings are applied, you will see the ROV shift position immediately.
Publishing Position to Blueye ROV
You can now see the ROV position automatically update itself in the Navigation tab inside the blueye app.
When the NMEA is successfully configured, you should see the NMEA input light up green in the list of Navigation sensors.
Add custom alarms
It is also possible to add custom alarms based on a geofence, for instance.
Click on the G icon in the bottom center, and draw your safe area.
Click on alarms in the left menu, and hit add new alarm. Now you can select the geofence alarm and choose between warning or critical.
As the ROV leaves the safe area, we now get a warning, as seen at the top of the screen above.
When out of line of sight
If the ROV goes out of line of sight, you will see that the position updates stop, and the link reception icon is grayed out. You will also see that the number of attempts will increase until you get back into line of sight.
Warning! Do not power the SeaTrac system for more than 15 minutes while out of water (per the SeaTrac manual).
Avoid Out-of-Water Operation
SeaTrac Beacons are designed for use in water. Extended periods of in-air transmission (greater than 10-15 minutes) may result in undissipated acoustic energy, causing internal heating and possible long-term damage to the main transmitter transducer ring. Larger current consumption and current surges may also be observed on switch-mode power supplies during out-of-water transmission.
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