SeaBotix ROVs on Test
UVS has taken delivery of SeaBotix vLBV systems bound for an aquaculture customer in Tasmania. Using the facilities of the ROV Test Tank located at UVS Newcastle final customer modifications were completed and the vehicles were fully tested.
Aquaculture in Australia is the country’s fastest growing primary industry, accounting for 34% of the total gross value of production of seafood. 10 species of fish are farmed in Australia, and production is dominated by southern bluefin tuna, Atlantic salmon and barramundi. Increasingly, robotic tools such as ROVs will become more important to provide efficiency for operating and managing larger farms as the industry growth continues.
UVS Workshop Manager, Grant Maddison, said that the service capability provided by UVS was important for many customers. “Customers like to know that they can call us for advice or return their equipment to an Australian-based workshop for repair, modification and upgrade”, said Grant. UVS Workshops located in Newcastle, Melbourne and Perth handle all types of oceanographic and hydrographic systems, instruments and components. As industries like aquaculture grow in Australia the service capability must grow alongside the industry to provide support for planned maintenance, modification and upgrades of equipment.
 |
| UVS Service Technicians Erik Wilson and Grant Maddison complete testing of a modified SeaBotix vLBV ROV |
 |
| The SeaBotix vLBV ROV in the ROV Test Tank at Newcastle. The design of the tank is specially adapted for ROV testing and servicing. |
