Sonars

Integrated Sonar

Blueprint Oculus and Tritech Gemini Sonar units can be integrated into the Deep Trekker™ system, allowing sonar data to be seen in real time on the controller and recorded in tandem with video directly to an SD card or USB storage device plugged into the controller. The ROVs purchased with sonars will be shipped with the sonar unit already installed and no additional set up is required. Sonars purchased separate from initial delivery will require hardware and software integration.

When the ROV is powered on, the sonar will automatically power on and begin sending data to the controller. This data can be viewed in a small PIP window in the corner of the screen or as a full screen image. Additionally, the gain of the image and the range displayed can be adjusted. All of these functions are utilized with the program buttons. Depending on the configuration of the ROV, program button defaults may vary. To set program buttons, navigate to MENU → SETTINGS → INPUT MAPPING → CONTROLLER → PROGRAM BUTTONS. See Customizable Program Buttons for more information.

Sonar Gain

When Fn + left/right arrows are set to Sonar Gain, holding the function button, and pressing up or down on the arrow buttons will adjust the gain. This gain is comparable to camera ISO or sensitivity. When the gain is high, smaller echoes will produce pixels on the sonar image making smaller structures more obvious. At the same time, the higher sensitivity causes random noise to be picked up and the image will become grainy. When the gain is low, only higher amplitude echoes will produce pixels on the sonar image, making only the large structures visible and creating clean, empty spaces.

If Sonar image is still fuzzy or noisy after changing gain settings, cleaning the sensor face with 70% isopropyl alcohol can help remove debris and build up

Sonar Range

When Fn + left/right arrows are set to Sonar Range, holding the function button, and pressing up or down on the arrow buttons will adjust the range displayed in the image. This is comparable to zooming in or out. Curved lines are labeled with the range so that distances away from structures can be measured. When using the Sonar, remember to check the number next to the top line to see your current range. If the sonar image is blank, the range is likely too small to pick up structures in the environment.

Sonar View

When a customizable program button is set to “sonar view”, clicking this button will cycle through three options:

·         Hidden

·         picture-in-picture (PIP)

·         full screen

Objects and structures are most easily visualized when the sonar beam hits them on a downward facing angle, creating acoustic shadows behind them. This effect can be maximized by angling the sonar 15° below horizontal and ensuring the ROV’s height above the seafloor is 10% of the sonar range.

Sonar Logging

Sonar can also be logged separately from the Data Logging package by navigating to the MAIN MENU → SETTINGS → SONAR and selecting Start Logging or setting ‘Log Sonar’ as a program button in the MAIN MENU → SETTINGS → CONTROLLER → INPUT MAPPING → PROGRAM BUTTONS page.

Oculus sonar will export a .OCULUS file that can be opened in Blueprint’s Viewpoint software. Gemini sonars will be exported as a .ECD and can be opened in Tritech’s Genesis software. 

Blueprint Oculus Sonars

There are four different types of Oculus sonars that are supported for the ROV. These include:

These sonars also come mounted to the ROV and will require no setup. The interface is integrated directly into the controller and can be controlled by customizable buttons. To change settings for these sonars, navigate to MENU → SETTINGS → SONAR, which will give the following settings:

·         Display Window - Change between full display or the popup window near the bottom left.

·         Sonar Range - Change the range of the sonar measured in meters.

·         Sonar Gain - Edit the gain of the sonar.

·         Data Recording - Change between recording the data or not.

·         Low Power Mode - Will turn off unnecessary functions to conserve power.

·         Range Markers - Toggles range markers on the sonar view to be off/on.

·         Frequency - Toggles the sonar between using low/high frequency.

·         Next Palette - Changes the color palette that the sonar image uses.

·         Horizontal Flip - Flips the sonar image horizontally.

·         View On Laptop - Toggles viewing the sonar image on the controller or external laptop.

View on Laptop

These sonars also have the option of being connected to an external computer to be able to view the sonar image directly on a user's computer. To view the sonar on a laptop, the controller must be on firmware version 4.2 or higher. It must also have Oculus Viewpoint software v1.18.243 or higher. Download the latest software from Blueprint via this link: https://www.blueprintsubsea.com/oculus/support.php

After the software and firmware have been downloaded, you can view the sonar image on a laptop or the controller by following one of the two options:

Option 1 - Using the Controller DHCP

·         Use an ethernet cable to connect the controller to the laptop.

·         Navigate to MENU → SETTINGS → NETWORK and toggle DHCP to “ON”.

·         Navigate to MENU → SETTINGS → SONAR → VIEW ON LAPTOP.

·         The text should change to display “ON” if the switch to laptop view was successfully made. The blue sonar icon on the top bar will also change its color to light blue.

·         Open the Oculus Viewpoint software on your laptop.

·         The sonar data should be displayed on the program's interface now.

Option 2 - Using a Router

·         Navigate to MENU → SETTINGS → NETWORK and toggle the DHCP to “OFF”.

·         Connect the controller and laptop to the router.

·         Navigate to MENU → SETTINGS → SONAR → VIEW ON LAPTOP.

While the sonar is being viewed on the laptop, all sonar settings (range, gain, frequency etc.) can only be adjusted using the Oculus Viewpoint software. The sonar display cannot be viewed both on the controller and on the laptop at the same time.

If the sonar display is glitchy, the network speed can be adjusted for a glitch free display. To do this:

·         Open “Oculus Settings” in the Oculus Viewpoint software.

·         Adjust the “Network Speed Limit” until the display is glitch free.

To change the sonar view from the laptop back to the controller, you simply need to navigate back to MENU → SETTINGS → SONAR → VIEW ON LAPTOP. The text will change to “OFF”. Another method of changing back to the controller view is to simply disconnect the ethernet cable or router.

If the laptop application is not able to open the sonar display, navigate to MENU → SETTINGS → SONAR → VIEW ON LAPTOP. If this does not work, make sure that the controller and laptop are on the same network subnet. To check this:

·         If DHCP is being used, the laptop must have an ethernet IP address of 10.78.0.x. To verify this, follow the instructions in this link:

·         https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/help/4026518/windows-10-find-your-ip-address

·         If a router is being used, check that the controller and laptop IP addresses are the same. On the controller, the IP address can be found in MENU → SETTINGS → NETWORK as “Eth0”.

If you are still experiencing issues, please check the ethernet cable used or the router. If the issue persists, please contact Deep Trekker™ Support for more assistance.

Tritech Gemini Sonars

The Tritech Gemini Sonar comes mounted to the ROV. No setup is required to use the sonar. The interface for this sonar is directly integrated into the controller and can be controlled by customizable program buttons. Settings for the sonar can be changed by navigating to MENU → SETTINGS → SONAR, which will give the following settings:

·         Display Window - Change between full display or the popup window near the bottom left.

·         Sonar Range - Change the range of the sonar measured in meters.

·         Sonar Gain - Edit the gain of the sonar.

·         Data Recording - Change between recording the data or not.

·         Low Power Mode - Will turn off unnecessary functions to conserve power.

·         Range Markers - Toggles range markers on the sonar view to be off/on.

Non-integrated Sonars

Multibeam imaging sonar is a tool which allows for underwater operations to be carried out in little to no visibility. Hundreds of sonar beams are simultaneously emitted and echoes read in order to produce a real-time top-down visual representation of the environment in front of the ROV. The Imagenex 852 Sonar and Tritech Micron Sonar are devices that are mounted on the ROV but are controlled via an external computer.  

Imagenex Side Scan Sonar

The Imagenex side scan sonar will come mounted on the ROV.  The integration will be configured in one of two ways as shown below.

To use the Sonar with serial over IP:

follow this guide

To use the sonar on an aux tether:

• Ensure that the Sonar harness is connected to the RS485 port on the side of the ROV.

• Connect the RS485 to USB adapter to the “pigtail” cable coming from the tether reel and connect the USB end of the adapter into your laptop. 

• Download the WIN881 software from this link 

• Run the program WIN881 on your computer and select the button DATA FROM ‘HEAD’ on the lower left-hand side of the display.

• Ensure the correct COM port is selected using Device Manager on your computer.

• Select correct comport in the Win881 software and select OK. 

• Data should start live streaming from that point on. 

• If needed, GPS data from the ROV can be imported from the USBL by following the Imagenex side scan – GPS setup guide.

For further information on the side scan sonar, follow this link

Imagenex 852 Ultra-Miniature Sonar

The Imagenex 852 will come mounted on the ROV. To use the sonar:

• Ensure that the Sonar harness is connected to the RS485 port on the side of the ROV.

• Connect the RS485 to USB adapter to the “pigtail” cable coming from the tether reel and connect the USB end of the adapter into your laptop. 

• Download the WIN852 software from this link: 

• https://imagenex.com/interior-page/software-download

• Run the program WIN852 on your computer and select the button DATA FROM ‘HEAD’ on the right-hand side of the display.

• Ensure the correct COM port is selected and depending on the RS485 serial i/o card installed in your computer, select AUTO Enable or RTS Enable. 

• Also confirm that the sonar head is enabled via the Set Switches Dialog Box. 

For further information on the 852 Ultra-Miniature Scanning Sonar, follow this link

Tritech Micron Sonar

The Tritech Micron Sonar will also come mounted on the ROV. To use the system, first the interface software will need to be downloaded. To do this:

• Download the latest software from Tritech via this link

• If a key is required for the download, please contact support@deeptrekker.com

• Before installing the driver, disconnect from the internet to make sure the right drivers are installed correctly.

• Install the software “Tritech Seanet Pro V2.24” on your computer. Follow all prompts when instructed to.

• Restart the computer when the installer prompts you to.

• Once the driver has been installed, you can connect to the internet again if you prefer. 

The software is now installed on your computer and you are ready to set up your ROV and Tritech Micron Sonar for a dive. To set-up the system for a dive, the following steps should be taken:

• Connect the RS232-to-USB converter to a USB port on your computer.

• Connect one end of the Quick Connect adapter to the RS232-USB converter (DB15 connector) and the other end to the short quick connect cable from the tether reel. 

• Confirm that the Micron Sonar mounted on the ROV is connected to the “USBL/SONAR” port on the ROV. If not already connected, connect to the port on the ROV making sure the pins are aligned to prevent damage. 

• Turn on your ROV and deploy it in the water. 

• For the first time using Seanet Pro, you will need to open the “Seanet Setup” on your computer.

• A setup dialog box will open.

• Navigate in the tabs to UTILITIES → COM SETUP.

• Another dialog box will open, click “yes” and this will automatically set the correct ports. If no dialog box opens, then the ports have been already set. 

• A new window called “Channel Setup” will appear. 

• Use the arrows under “COM Port” to search for the “USB” port under the “Type” column. 

• You can now close the Channel Setup window. The main window will show Node 2 with the Status window being OK and green.

• You can close the Setup Window. 

• Open the Seanet Pro application on your computer.

• Now open the preferred application for viewing. In this case, for the Sonar system, navigate in the tab to APPLICATION → SINGLE SONAR. This will open a window which pertains to the Sonar.

• Your sonar configuration should now be ready to work properly. 

For further instructions on more advanced features, refer to the Tritech MicronNav manual located here.