High-Resolution Seabed Intelligence with Kraken Robotics KATFISH

See More. Survey Faster. Operate Safer.

Across defence, offshore energy and marine research, the ability to survey large areas of seabed while retaining the resolution required to identify small features is increasingly valuable. Kraken Robotics’ KATFISH combines an actively stabilised towfish with synthetic aperture sonar (SAS), providing high-resolution seabed imagery and bathymetric data from a deployable towed platform.

High-Resolution Data at Operational Speed

KATFISH is designed for standard survey operations between 4 and 10 knots, with survey ranges up to 200 metres per side and an area coverage rate of up to 3.5 km² per hour. Its intelligent autopilot and articulated tailfins compensate for towbody motion, supporting stable data collection as the system operates over changing seabed terrain.

The system delivers constant 3 cm × 3 cm real-time SAS imagery, 25 cm × 25 cm 3D bathymetry, and post-processed SAS imagery down to 2 cm × 2 cm resolution. Real-time detection and classification capabilities allow operators to assess contacts while a mission is underway rather than relying solely on post-mission analysis.

One Platform, Multiple Applications

For Defence, KATFISH supports Mine Countermeasure (MCM) operations, route surveys and critical underwater infrastructure inspection. In a 2026 USV demonstration, the system produced 3 cm × 3 cm data at 200 metres range per side, which was streamed to an onshore command centre for real-time classification of contacts.

Within offshore energy, its high-resolution data supports seabed mapping, subsea infrastructure inspection and UXO surveys. Kraken Robotics also positions the system for pre- and post-construction surveys, cable and infrastructure exposure assessments, seabed change detection, and the identification of boulders and debris.

For marine research, the same imaging capability can support underwater archaeology, ecosystem research, oceanographic surveys and environmental monitoring, providing researchers with detailed information on seabed features across comparatively large survey areas.

Improving Launch and Recovery

Operational capability extends beyond the towfish itself. Kraken Robotics’ KATFISH Autonomous Launch and Recovery System (ALARS) is designed to reduce risk to both personnel and equipment by automating one of the higher-risk stages of operations: getting the towfish safely into and out of the water.

The ISO20 ALARS enables autonomous launch and recovery up to Sea State 5 and uses a 20-foot ISO container footprint to support rapid mobilisation and demobilisation across compatible multi-role vessels. A compact USV LARS also enables unmanned launch and recovery from USVs from 11 metres and above.

Together, KATFISH and its autonomous launch and recovery capability provide a technically advanced approach to high-resolution seabed survey, combining wide-area coverage, detailed SAS imagery, real-time data and reduced personnel exposure during launch and recovery.

For more information on Kraken Robotics KATFISH, please Contact the BlueZone Group sales team.

Kraken Robotics release KATFISH Autonomous Launch and Recovery System

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