By generating over 16,000 beams per acoustic transmission and with a frame rate of up to 20 pings per second, the Echoscope range of sonars can “see”, position objects, and map the underwater scene in real-time, providing unique 3D acoustic movie imagery. This high volume of data in the 3D space can provide insight and context for the movement of a single fish, or a school, through a complex environment. This information can be used for something as simple as fish counting, or something as complex as studying fish behavior in an experimental setting. Ensonifying a large volume of water in the 3D space, the Echoscope is also perfect for stock assessment surveys.

Unlike a standard multibeam, the real-time 3D volumetric Echoscope does not need a moving vessel to instantly visualize both moving and static objects underwater. By adding a MOTION GPS positioning sensor, the Echoscope and complementary CodaOctopus^® Underwater Survey Explorer (USE) visualization software can create constantly displayed geo-referenced images as data is collected. Deployable with a tripod or on smaller survey vessels, the Echoscope offers functionality in a wide-range of fisheries environments, from remote rivers and lakes, to offshore farms. Our 4^th Generation, C500, and Surface variants of Echoscope can even be hand or diver carried for those hard to reach work sites.

With the integration of our Integrated Pan and Tilt (IPT) and Integrated Single-Axis Rotator (ISAR) the capability and extend of real-time monitoring can be significantly increased, particularly for slow or static deployments such as barges. The use of external positioning on targets requiring discrete tracking can additionally be configured in the USE software to provide autonomous tracking over the entire IPT or ISAR field of movement. The position of the tracked individual can be output in real-time over an Ethernet connection or exported later for analysis.

The real-time 3D volumetric Echoscope also can be used to aid navigation of Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), as well as providing valuable visualization of the subsea environment for the removal of sediment, debris or critical assets in an enclosure. It can immediately identify complex targets, such as cable catenaries or existing breakwater blocks. These unique features make the Echoscope useful for a number of applications, from creating real-time 3D models of downed oil platforms and super structures, to understanding complex subsea asset alignment for decommissioning purposes.