Commet and Ramses PPT

1. Metrology & RAMSES Synthetic Baseline Positioning
Yann Casamajou
Dubaï, Apr. 29th 2014

2. 2
Introduction : iXBlue Underwater Positioning Solution
Prerequisite : iXBlue INS performances
RAMSES : Product Description
RAMSES : Operational Performances
COMMET : iXBlue Metrology Solution, Track records…
Metrology & RAMSES Synthetic Baseline Positioning
Agenda

3. 3
In a few words…
A 100% French independent worldwide established group
Designing and delivering first-rate differentiated technologies, products, systems and
integrated solutions,
550 employees
iXBlue general product strategy…
Own the core technologies (performance, reactivity, independence)
Innovation (new concept & ideas to offer simple and time saving products)
Open architecture (standard interface, compatibility mode)
Ease of use (keep complexity inside, pre-calibrated solutions, simple user interfaces)
Performance.
iXBlue Underwater Positioning Solutions
iXBlue SAS general

4. 4
iXBlue Underwater Positioning Solutions
iXBlue SAS general
iXBlue organized in 8 divisions / activities
All R&D and products manufacturing in France
A worldwide presence with iXBlue offices / services centers and privileged business
partners
Inertial products advanced components sea operations sonar systems
acoustic products marine works motion systems integrated solutions

5. 5
Developing and manufacturing
A range of heading and attitude reference
sensors (OCTANS, OCTANS NANO)
A range of Inertial Navigation Sensors
(ROVINS, PHINS, MARINS, etc…)
iXBlue Underwater Positioning Solutions
iXBlue SAS general: Inertial products

6. 6
iXBlue Underwater Positioning Solutions
iXBlue SAS general: Acoustic products
Developing and manufacturing
OCEANO (releasers & transponders)
USBL (GAPS, POSIDONIA)
RAMSES (Synthetic baseline positioning)
Positioning solutions

7. 7
Introduction : iXBlue Underwater Positioning Solution
Prerequisite : iXBlue INS performances
RAMSES : Product Description
RAMSES : Operational Performances
COMMET : iXBlue Metrology Solution, Track records…
Metrology & RAMSES Synthetic Baseline Positioning
Agenda

8. 8
iXBlue Underwater Positioning Solutions
Inertial Products: INS-DVL Ready
PHINS, reference in INS market
☑ Heading 0.02deg x sec.lat
☑ Pitch/Roll 0.01deg
☑ DVL aided position drift < 0.1% x
travelled distance
ROVINS, INS for offshore market
☑ Heading 0.05deg x sec.lat
☑ Pitch/Roll 0.01deg
☑ DVL aided position drift < 0.2% x
travelled distance

9. 9
iXBlue Underwater Positioning Solutions
Inertial Products : INS-DVL Ready
PHINS 6000 “DVL ready”
INS core is made of
☑ 3x Fiber Optic Gyroscopes (FOG) (instantaneous rotation)
☑ 3x accelerometers (instantaneous acceleration)
☑ All mounted on orthogonal axis, calibrated in factory
Tight coupling with DVL further improves performances
ROVINS DVL 1200 kHz  Drift <2.5m in 6 hours (wrt GRTK GPS reference)

10. 10
Introduction : iXBlue Underwater Positioning Solution
Prerequisite : iXBlue INS performances
RAMSES : Product Description
RAMSES : Operational Performances
COMMET : iXBlue Metrology Solution, Track records…
Metrology & RAMSES Synthetic Baseline Positioning
Agenda

11. 11
RAMSES Product Description
Introduction to RAMSES
RAMSES, Synthetic baseline acoustic
positioning system
☑ the ideal iXBlue INS companion
☑ Provides high accuracy – non drifting external
aiding to INS
☑ MF range, wideband modulation
☑ Up to 14 simultaneous acoustic channels
☑ Slant distance accuracy <0.05m
☑ SLAM embedded algorithm (Simultaneous
Localization And Mapping)

12. 12
RAMSES Product Description
Introduction to RAMSES
Basically RAMSES runs an internal Kalman filter to calculate its own position
using all available information:
 Range to transponders
 Speed and position from INS
 USBL or LBL positions
The best performance will be obtained with RAMSES coupled to INS (PHINS, ROVINS)
 The natural drift of the INS is fully contained by high accuracy ranges to transponders,
 RAMSES aided by INS refine its own position and transponders position estimate
 Sparse array naturally available
 SLAM to speed-up and simplify calibration process
Position
Update rate
Drift
smooth
high
yes
inertial
only
Jumpy
low
no
Acoustic
only
smooth
high
no
Combined:
inertial &
acoustics

13. 13
RAMSES Product Description
ROV Integration
USBL positions (downlink)
PHINS outputs (uplink)
Scalable solution for ROV positioning
☑ USBL positioning from the vessel
☑ Releasable transponders
☑ RAMSES synthetic LBL system
☑ DVL
☑ PHINS / ROVINS to compute optimum
position
RTA62 RAMSES
Transponders
Other market
transponders

14. 14
RAMSES Product Description
Sparse Array navigation
With only a few beacons (starting from one), offers that LBL-grade submetric
accuracy without all the hassle of conventional LBL

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RAMSES Product Description
Sparse Array navigation
With only a few beacons (starting from one), offers that LBL-grade submetric
accuracy without all the hassle of conventional LBL

16. 16
RAMSES Product Description
SLAM concept
SLAM (Simultaneous Localization And Mapping) is a specific algorithm
(Kalman filter) which allows the position of unknown beacons on the sea bed
to be automatically calculated
☑ While flying around the beacons, correlate the position of PHINS/RAMSES to
ranges to beacons, and adjust their position for a perfect match.
☑ Use the beacons to improve the navigation of PHINS/RAMSES

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RAMSES Product Description
SLAM concept
time: T0
position: X0,Y0,Z0
At T0…
☑ system knows its own position
☑ Interrogates beacon, get slant range
☑ Save…

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RAMSES Product Description
SLAM concept
time: T1
position: X1,Y1,Z1
At T0…
☑ system knows its own position
☑ Interrogates beacon, get slant range
☑ Save…
At T1… case1 : transponder position is
correct
☑ system knows its own new position
☑ Interrogates beacon, get slant range
☑ Change in position and new slant
range are consistent. The
transponder position is correct…

19. 19
RAMSES Product Description
SLAM concept
time: T1
position: X1,Y1,Z1
At T0…
☑ system knows its own position
☑ Interrogates beacon, get slant range
☑ Save…
At T1… : case2 : transponder position
needs to be refined
☑ system knows its own new position
☑ Interrogates beacon, get slant range
☑ The matching transponder’s position
is at the intersection of the two
circles…

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RAMSES Product Description
SLAM concept
time: T1
position: X1,Y1,Z1
☑ Position is (virtually) adjusted…
☑ ….and saved until next recurrence
At T0…
☑ system knows its own position
☑ Interrogates beacon, get slant range
☑ Save…
At T1… case2: transponder position
needs to be refined
☑ system knows its own new position
☑ Interrogates beacon, get slant range
☑ The matching transponder’s position
is at the intersection of the two
circles…

21. 21
RAMSES Product Description
SLAM concept
time: T1
position: X1,Y1,Z1
Repeat the same along a given
trajectory, and make sure positions
and ranges always match.
Imagine the same with more than
one transponder…

22. 22
Introduction : iXBlue Underwater Positioning Solution
Prerequisite : iXBlue INS performances
RAMSES : Product Description
RAMSES : Operational Performances
COMMET : iXBlue Metrology Solution, Track records…
Metrology & RAMSES Synthetic Baseline Positioning
Agenda

23. 23
RAMSES live calibrations of a small LBL field with different positioning
sources for navigation:
• test0: PHINS-GPS RTK
• test1: PHINS-DVL-GPS RTK
• test2: PHINS-DVL
• test3: PHINS-DVL, 2xTP
• test4: PHINS-DVL, 1xTP
The goal is to compare the accuracies obtained
according to 2 criteria:
• Repeatable distances between transponders
• Repeatable absolute position of the field
Calibrations consist in realizing a simple BoxIN around a
set of 4 beacons. Tests were conducted on a survey vessel,
with PHINS-DVL-RAMSES mounted on a pole.
RAMSES Operational Performances
Calibration: performance evaluation protocol
≈ 7m
global
BoxIN
TP22
TP19
TP21
TP20

24. 24
TP20
Every method (incl. the ones without RTK GPS) produces repeatable LBL geometry.
 All distances are within ≈6cm precision (incl. divers measurements)
≈ 7m
global
BoxINTP22
TP19
TP21
RAMSES Operational Performances
Calibration: Estimated LBL geometry

25. 25
The diagrams below illustrate the final average positions of the calibrated
field for all scenarios:
RAMSES Operational Performances
Calibration: LBL field position

26. 26
 Navigation using RAMSES+PHINS-DVL, with 2 known transponders (TP19+TP20)
 TP21 to be calibrated, initialized 20m away from its true position
Transponder calibrated with ≈2cm
precision in less than 10mn !
RAMSES Operational Performances
Calibration Time

27. 27
 “Degraded” navigation case, using PHINS-DVL only starting from known initial position
 TP21 under calibration, initialized 20m away from its true position
Here ≈18mn needed to reach
2cm precision…
Final Sdev remains higher due to
less precise PHINS navigation
RAMSES Operational Performances
Calibration Time

28. 28
• iXBlue system achieves excellent repeatability in calibration phase in any use case:
• with USBL or GPS position input (here RTK GPS)
• with only PHINS-DVL navigation + initial position fix
• using RAMSES + one or more calibrated TP
• Calibration convergence time depends on the nature and amount of coupled sensors
• Field geometry is perfectly reproducible with better than 6cm accuracy (in any configuration)
• The repeatability of the computed positions is limited due to system bias:
• GPS / USBL bias (including lever arms uncertainty + pole repositioning error)
• Offset in initial position fix
• Bias in the position of the reference transponder used
(Note: increasing the number of reference transponders mitigates this bias)
RAMSES Operational Performances
Calibration : Synthesis

29. 29
Survey trajectory with RTK GPS reference
 PHINS-DVL-RAMSES
 3x transponders deployed on a 300mx300m square
 Line length≈500m, total trajectory ≈6000m (1h15)
Navigation precision estimated
wrt PHINS+RTK reference, represented
by changing color on trajectory
Various scenarios tested
1st scenario: PHINS-DVL survey
Northing-m
Easting - m
INS / DVL
-100 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
-100
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
RAMSES Operational Performances
Navigation Performances (1)

30. 30
2nd scenario: PHINS-RAMSES survey (No DVL)
3rd scenario: PHINS-DVL-RAMSES survey, 3x calibrated transponders used for navigation
Smoothing gain of the DVL is clearly visible here
 DVL makes the system less sensitive to acoustic “jumps”
19
20
21
Northing-m
Easting - m
INS / LBL (3 Beacons)
-100 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
-100
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
19
20
21
Northing-m
Easting - m
INS / DVL / LBL (3 Beacons)
-100 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
-100
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
RAMSES Operational Performances
Navigation Performances (2)

31. 31
19
21
Northing-m
Easting - m
INS / DVL / LBL (2 Beacons)
-100 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
-100
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
4th scenario: PHINS-DVL-RAMSES survey, 2x calibrated transponders used for navigation
5th scenario: PHINS-DVL-RAMSES survey, only 1x transponders used !
RAMSES Sparse Array performances are clearly demonstrated here
 Decimetric accuracy obtained with a single beacon
21
Northing-m
Easting - m
INS / DVL / LBL (1 Beacon)
-100 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
-100
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
RAMSES Operational Performances
Navigation Performances (3)

32. 32
• RAMSES enhances PHINS-DVL performances through the cancellation of its intrinsic drift, keeping system
performance constant and non-drifting all along the survey
• Previous performances are in the order of magnitude of the remaining bias sources of the system:
• RTK GPS error
• Potential bias in PHINS-GPS lever arms (including pole repositioning error)
• Jitter in distance measurement and synchronization
• X/Y error resulting from imperfect tide compensation
• PHINS-DVL-RAMSES system offers a flexible and improvable level of performances:
• PHINS-DVL: Error increases with survey length
Performing short term navigation, optimized with post processing
• PHINS-DVL-Ramses 2x/3x TP: Smooth and precise live navigation
Low benefits of post processing
• PHINS-DVL-RAMSES 1x TP: Smooth and precise live navigation as well
Lower redundancy  higher sensitivity to masking
Signal losses correctable by PHINS post processing
General notice:
Reducing the amount of transponders increases the sensitivity to any remaining bias of the system (SVP error, offset in reference
transponder position…). RAMSES algorithms and procedures mitigate this risk.
RAMSES Operational Performances
Navigation Performances : Synthesis

33. 33
• Goal: TP3 calibration to extend existing LBL field by few hundreds of meters
• Methods used:
• Calibration 1: BoxIN around TP3
GPS RTK reference
• Calibration 2: global BoxIN of LBL field
GPS RTK reference
• Calibration 3: global BoxIN of LBL field
TP1 & TP2 calibrated and used to navigate
• Calibration 4: BoxIN around TP3
TP1 & TP2 calibrated and used to navigate
global
BoxIN
individual
BoxIN
TP1
TP2
TP3
RAMSES Operational Performances
Calibration / extension of larger LBL fields (d>300m) (1)

34. 34
 TP3 Calibration accuracy better than 10cm global
BoxIN
individual
BoxIN
8cm
8cm
TP3
Calibration 1: TP3 BoxIN, GPS
Calibration 4: Global BoxIN, TP1 & TP2 ref
Calibration 3: TP3 BoxIN, TP1 & TP2 ref
Calibration 2: Global BoxIN, GPS
4cm
4cm
RAMSES Operational Performances
Calibration / extension of larger LBL fields (d>300m) (2)

35. 35
• RAMSES calibration process on larger LBL field is similar to small LBL case
• Using SLAM (Simultaneous Localization And Mapping), RAMSES allows the user to navigate using some
transponders while calibrating some others, making calibration process faster and simpler for offshore operators.
•This unique functionality permits quick simultaneous deployment and calibration of field transponders, according to the
following example of a possible time schedule
• T0 : ROV + beacons descent in LBL field
• T1 = T0+0h30 : Deployment of the TP1 (+ tripod) 300m away from the field
• T2 = T0+1h30 : Individual BoxIN of TP1 (navigation using field transponders)
• T4 = T0+1h45 : TP1 calibrated
• T3 = T0+1h45 : Deployment of the TP2 (+ tripod) 300m away from the field
• T4 = T0+2h45 : Individual BoxIN of TP2 (navigation using TP1 + field transponders)
• T4 = T0+3h00 : TP2 calibrated
•…
RAMSES Operational Performances
Calibration / extension of larger LBL fields : Synthesis

36. 36
iXBlue system is scalable and adaptive : simply
connect new building blocks to reach the
performance level that suits your application
iXBlue System with RAMSES
Conclusion
Ease of use & install: every equipment embeds full algorithms and control
software (web MMI) – no additional processing unit needed
With SLAM and tight coupling with PHINS/ROVINS, RAMSES makes ultimate
performances achievable
☑ In sparse array conditions…
☑ At any depth…
☑ With greatly reduced calibration time

37. 37
Introduction : iXBlue Underwater Positioning Solution
Prerequisite : iXBlue INS performances
RAMSES : Product Description
RAMSES : Operational Performances
COMMET : iXBlue Metrology Solution, Track records…
Metrology & RAMSES Synthetic Baseline Positioning
Agenda

38. 38
iXBlue Metrology Solution, track records
COMMET, the ultimate performance

39. 39
iXBlue ComMet combines INS and Acoustics to provide…
☑ Significant vessel time saving
☑ A robust and reliable method with redundancy
☑ the best of each technology
☑ A pre-integrated system from data
☑ acquisition to final result
Performance target:
☑ Distances: <0.05m (relative)
☑ Angles: better than 0.1deg
☑ Spool length from a few meters to 150m
iXBlue Metrology Solution, track records
COMMET, a new method to cut vessel time

40. 40
5m long leash
To ROV power
supply and mux
PHINS/DVL ready, RAMSES
head, P & SV sensors
- Subsea data logger, battery
backup and connection hub
- RAMSES electronics
iXBlue Metrology Solution, track records
COMMET, pre-integrated solution

41. 41
#1: mobilization
#2: deployment
All equipment deployed in one dive only
#3: Install one transponder in each connector + 3rd reference
beacon, start and initialize the INS
iXBlue Metrology Solution, track records
COMMET, brief overview of a metrology operation

42. 42
#1: mobilization
#2: deployment
All equipment deployed in one dive only
#3: Install one transponder in each connector + 3rd reference
beacon
#4: with ROV flying above transponders, use
metrology tool to “SLAM” beacons
iXBlue Metrology Solution, track records
COMMET, brief overview of a metrology operation

43. 43
#1: mobilization
#2: deployment
All equipment deployed in one dive only
#3: Install one transponder in each connector + 3rd reference
beacon
#5: replace one beacon by the metrology tool, measure
direct distances and full attitude (Heading, Pitch, Roll,
Depth) at each connector
#4: with ROV flying above transponders, use
metrology tool to “SLAM” beacons
iXBlue Metrology Solution, track records
COMMET, brief overview of a metrology operation
#6: end of data acquisition,
start data processing…..!

44. 44
Jumper #2
Jumper
#1
Beacon #10
Beacon #9
Beacon #6
Beacon #7
Tripod
Beacon #8
Starting Point
“Three
O’clock”
60m diameter
Sea trials and comparison with LBL in real conditions
☑ Egypt (Burullus project, for the first time 2 x jumpers
☑ June 2012, onboard Norman Cutter
☑ size 25m(approx),
☑ Water depth 800m
☑ 2 data acquisition (June 1st, June 3rd)
iXBlue Metrology Solution, track records
COMMET is fully qualified and commercially operated

45. 45
Jumper LBL ref SLAM Delta
(cm)
June 1st #1 27,133 27,139 0,6
#2 30,174 30,176 0,2
June 3rd #1 27,133 27,146 1,3
#2 30,174 30,151 -2,3
iXBlue Metrology Solution, track records
COMMET is fully qualified and commercially operated

46. 46
BONGA NW field, West Africa, offshore Nigeria
☑ Quick mobilization of a complete ComMet system + limited set of spares to be
operated
☑ SAIPEM operates the system with 2 iXBlue engineers (1 free lance)
☑ 8 metrologies to perform in a limited time slot (availability of support vessel)
• PM01 double metrology PJ-13E & PJ-14E
• PM06 double metrology PJ-13W & PJ-14W
double metrology PJ-15E & PJ-16E
• PM07 double metrology PJ-15W & PJ-16W
☑ Water depth 1,000m approx, jumpers length from 25 to 42m
iXBlue Metrology Solution, track records
COMMET is fully qualified and commercially operated

47. 47
BONGA NW field, West Africa, offshore Nigeria
jumper Operation
time
SLAM
(Horizontal
distance)
Closing
test
PM06 North PJ-13W
6h00
36,508 0,052
PJ-14W 27,239 0,020
PM06 South PJ-15E
4h30
25,325 0,026
PJ-16E 36,368 0,048
PM07 PJ-15W
3h25
28,204 0,009
PJ16W 40,711 0,014
PM01 PJ-13E
3h35
42,041 0,003
PJ-14E 29,419 0,009
iXBlue Metrology Solution, track records
COMMET is fully qualified and commercially operated

48. 48
BONGA NW field, West Africa, offshore Nigeria
iXBlue Metrology Solution, track records
COMMET is fully qualified and commercially operated

49. 49
SVALIN Norway. Statoil / Subsea7 ComMet comparison trial
☑ Compare ComMet to Photogrametric metrology methods
☑ Estimate time to operate both systems
☑ Compare ComMet accuracy to Photogrametric solution (reference)
iXBlue Metrology Solution, track records
COMMET is fully qualified and commercially operated

50. 50
LIWAN ( South China sea). CNOOC
☑ Water depth from 800 to 1,100m
☑ 2 metrology spreads (ComMet) operated by SAIPEM
☑ 30+ metrologies achieved, longest spool 128m long
Central
Platform
East
Manif
oldPipeline End
Manifold
West
Manifold
Subsea
Distribution Hub
Spare
iXBlue Metrology Solution, track records
COMMET is fully qualified and commercially operated

51. 51
ComMet saves time (4 hours typical data acquisition, 2 hours processing)
ComMet is a totally pre-integrated / pre-calibrated, compact turnkey solution
ComMet provides a full service including (repeatable) data processing
ComMet allows metrologies of short or long spool with no practical limit.
No line of sight is required for acoustics, extreme redundancy allows shadow zone,
open trajectory during SLAM operation is possible.
The method is extremely robust, with data redundancy and QA/QC provided
Multiple simultaneous metrologies can be achieved
ComMet is made of standard equipment (PHINS/DVL, RAMSES, Transponders) that can
be used separately
iXBlue Metrology Solution, track records
COMMET, Synthesis

52. Thank you !