Japan’s growing offshore wind industry is gaining a Saab Seaeye Cougar XTi underwater robotic vehicle for cable burial inspection and other roles.
Kaiyo Engineering has acquired the 2,000-metre rated Cougar, incorporating intelligent control architecture, for deployment from a 250-ton mother ship, the Kaiyo Maru. The ship is one of a fleet of vessels belonging to Kaiyo Engineering, the only privately owned research and observation company in Japan.
The Cougar XTi adds to Kaiyo’s portfolio of Saab Seaeye robots that include a Leopard and a Falcon.
In addition to its cable inspection role, the Cougar will also be used by Kaiyo Engineering to cover additional Leopard work.
Worldwide, Saab Seaeye robots play a dominant role in offshore renewables, as they are technologically suited for the challenges involved in building and maintaining structures and interconnections. The Cougar XTi is a particular favourite. With its six powerful thrusters it can hold steady in cross currents and operate with precise manoeuvrability whilst fitted with a wide array of equipment.
Kaiyo’s Cougar comes with four Imenco cameras, a Tritech SeaKing sonar, Nortek DVL and station-keeping software, and a five-function heavy duty manipulator with camera.
Its intelligent iCON™ behaviour-based ecosystem endows each device with its own microprocessor for individual control and real-time feedback, in a modular future-flexible system that allows for further development and innovation.
The entire Kaiyo Cougar XTi operational configuration includes a launch and recovery system (LARS), tether management system (TMS) and 20-foot control cabin and workshop.
Supporting the successful acquisition of the Cougar and other robotic systems is Saab Seaeye’s distributor in Japan, Marimex Japan K.K.
