Bespoke marine engineering experts Ocean Scientific International Ltd (OSIL), in conjunction with AML Oceanographic Ltd., have developed a wireless charging and data transfer system for their Micro Profiling Winches, designed to be used seamlessly with an AML-3 LGR instrument.
The compact and programmable winches are designed to equip uncrewed surface vessel (USV) systems with the ability to collect SVP or CTD profiles from user specified depths during live operations, enabling surveys to be carried more quickly and cover a wider area in a given deployment. The winches are fitted with an instrument capture mechanism which allows for seamless recharging on recovery of the instrument to the surface. Wireless data transfer is accomplished simultaneously using the instruments integrated WiFi transmitter.
The winches are easily integrated into most USV control systems, with status notifications for docking, zero position, and payout readings. Each winch can accommodate a wide variety of ropes/cables and slipring combinations, with a 5 kg line pull at the first layer and a 200 m drum capacity (based on 1.6 mm dyneema).
The OSIL automated winches have been successfully proven in the field, even in Arctic conditions, with over 60 systems supplied & built in the last 3 years.
