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In the last decade, Engineered Syntactic Systems (ESS) has been helping Hydroid, a subsidiary of Kongsberg Maritime, in its oceanographic exploration projects.

ESS has provided buoyancy for Hydroid’s range of AUVs, including the Remus 6000 used to locate missing Air France flight 447, search for Amelia Earhart’s plane and create comprehensive maps of the Titanic wreck.

During underwater missions, Hydroid’s Remus 600 and 6000 series AUVs carry specialized equipment and explore large areas of unpredictable terrain. Successful operation is dependent upon finding the right buoyancy (uplift) solution. ESS works closely with Hydroid to provide syntactic materials that support deeper depths and larger payloads without impacting power consumption.

“It’s been a genuine pleasure working with ESS because of their professionalism, responsiveness and cooperation - they stand behind their products,” says Don Karl, Senior Engineer at Hydroid. “They work with customers on special applications and deliver products that meet design and schedule requirements.”

The unique capabilities of ESS’ high-performance syntactics provide the highest possible buoyancy, withstand varying levels of hydrostatic pressure and resist water absorption. These properties are critical for increasing mission duration, vehicle endurance and operational longevity.

“Not only do we manufacture foam with the lowest density available today, our expertise in composite processing ensures that the unique characteristics of our materials are maintained throughout production - resulting in a finished geometry that provides long-term performance and reliability,” says Thomas Murray managing partner at Engineered Syntactic Systems.