As oceanographers push deeper into uncharted waters, the Xeos Petrel X3 emerges as a vital lifeline; ensuring that even the most remote underwater assets find their way home.

In the increasingly complex world of oceanographic research, reliable asset recovery tools are essential for safeguarding high‑value instruments deployed in harsh marine environments. Xeos by Satlink’s Petrel X3; a submersible AIS‑compatible recovery beacon; has emerged as a standout solution, blending durability, smart automation, and deep‑ocean capability to streamline the retrieval of underwater assets.

Revolutionising Asset Recovery with AIS Technology

The Petrel X3 operates as an AIS Aid to Navigation (AtoN), enabling it to automatically broadcast its position to nearby vessels using standard AIS chart plotters. This eliminates the need for custom tracking software, external hardware, or subscription services, simplifying operations and reducing recovery time. When the beacon surfaces, it immediately begins transmitting its location, allowing ship operators to navigate directly to the asset with familiar onboard systems.

Designed for short‑range tracking and retrieval, the Petrel X3 offers a streamlined, highly reliable method for recovering submerged instruments such as moorings, gliders, drifters, and deep‑ocean sensors. The beacon’s low‑power underwater sleep mode conserves energy during long deployments, activating only when it reaches the surface; a capability that supports missions lasting up to a year underwater followed by several days of surface transmission.

Built for Oceanographic Demands

Oceanography demands equipment capable of thriving under extreme conditions, and the Petrel X3’s 6000‑meter depth rating makes it suitable for deep‑sea deployments across diverse marine environments. Housed in pressure‑tolerant titanium and glass, and equipped with solid‑state water detection sensors, the system offers reliability far beyond traditional mechanical solutions.

For field scientists and technicians, ease of configuration is vital. The Petrel X3 includes Bluetooth‑enabled setup, allowing rapid pre‑deployment checks via a smartphone app, which helps ensure mission readiness even in remote locations. Its compact form factor and optional remote head configuration make it adaptable to various scientific platforms and mounting requirements.

Enhancing Research Efficiency and Safety

Oceanographic programs, from coastal studies to deep‑ocean monitoring, routinely deploy expensive sensors and autonomous systems that must be recovered intact to preserve valuable data. The Petrel X3 significantly reduces the uncertainty and risk associated with finding and retrieving these assets. By broadcasting its location directly onto AIS chart plotters, the beacon enhances operational safety, minimises ship time, and ensures that even after long deployments, instruments can be efficiently located.

Whether supporting climate research, seafloor mapping, biological studies, or defence‑related ocean monitoring, the Petrel X3’s combination of rugged construction, long‑duration deployment capability, and intuitive asset‑recovery functionality makes it a critical tool for modern marine science.

For more information on Xeos PetrelX3, please Contact the BlueZone Group sales team.

Petrel X3 Beacon (Photo credit: BlueZone Group).