UK company Modus Seabed Intervention Ltd and Saab Dynamics AB of Sweden have entered into a Collaboration Agreement to further develop the operational use and applications of the Saab Sabertooth hovering Hybrid AUV/ROV for the Oil and Gas and Offshore Renewables markets.

Following a two year evaluation and development programme, Modus have ordered the first in a planned fleet of Sabertooth vehicles from Saab which will be launched in Q1 2016.

The system will be equipped with additional batteries for extended autonomous endurance and with increased thrust for high speed survey. A suite of advanced survey sensors including the latest Edgetech 2205 combined triple frequency sidescan sonar, co-located swath bathymetry and sub bottom profiler, HD video/stills cameras, IXBlue Phins3 INS, and RDI workhorse DVL will be fitted in the vehicle. To manage data acquisition, navigation and processing of sensor data the software package QINSy from Saab QPS will be fully integrated.

The vehicle has been configured to allow additional sensors, such as standard MBES, cathodic protection (CP) probes and laser scanning systems to be quickly integrated against project specific applications.

Jake Tompkins, Managing Director, Modus Seabed Intervention Ltd said: “The acquisition of the first Sabertooth vehicle from Saab is the culmination of a 2 year development and evaluation programme and we are delighted to both confirm this order and to also enter into a collaboration agreement. This differentiated dual role technology combined with our innovative operating methodologies will offer a new value proposition to the subsea markets.”

Sven-Inge Svensson – Business Development Director, Saab Dynamics AB stated: “The Sabertooth hybrid AUV has proven to be a rugged and highly capable system that is ideal for the varied maintenance and operational markets supported by Modus. We are very pleased to have signed this Collaboration Agreement and been awarded this contract for this initial vehicle. We look forward to supporting Modus with their strategic focus and continued growth in the subsea industry.”