Seatooth® products from WFS are used to enable communication between AUVs and subsea equipment, including the harvesting of sensor data and transfer of video. The same communication signals are used to provide close-range navigation systems to facilitate the docking of subsea assets.
Communications and positioning capability can be supplemented by the ability to transfer power across an inductive link, enabling a reliable and repeatable method for recharging subsea assets such as sensors, data-loggers and the AUV itself.
AUVs can then be deployed for longer periods by having the capability to recharge their batteries, download data and update software without physical intervention.