Bluefin UUV Operator Tool Suite
comprehensive UUV software package
Our Operator Tool Suite is a comprehensive UUV software package that provides the interface between the UUV and the operator for all mission phases. The simple user interface maximizes the operator’s effectiveness in UUV operations. This Windows-based tool suite includes everything necessary to run and manage the system, including vehicle check-out and testing, mission planning, vehicle communications, mission monitoring and execution, data management, and post-mission analysis.
What's Included
Our Operator Tool Suite comes with the purchase of every Bluefin® UUV. The software package includes:
- Bluefin Mission Planner - Mission Planning and Verification
- Bluefin Dashboard - Vehicle Testing, Checkout and Mission Monitoring
- Bluefin Topics - Communications Infrastructure
- Bluefin Witness - Solution for Transferring Clips of Imagery
Mission Planning & Verification
The Bluefin Mission Planner graphical tool provides an intuitive interface to pre-plan your survey mission. Mission plan parameters are easily entered on screen. Mission and safety details are fully accessible, allowing for rapid and accurate mission planning. Planning takes place on top of a chart-based view that accepts raster or digital charts. Operators can specify safety settings, operational constraints, recovery points and return plans. The Mission Planner also allows customer-specific commands to be sent via the Standard Payload Interface.
Full Integration of SeeByte’s SeeTrack 4 On Bluefin-9
The Bluefin-9 fully supports SeeByte’s SeeTrack 4, which allows the user to graphically plan missions on nautical charts and specify operational and safety limits, recovery points and return plans. SeeTrack can display previously collected mission data that allows the user to plan the next mission with full situational awareness. External data sources can easily be imported from a variety of standard formats, including DNC, ENC S-57, ENC S-63, ESRI ShapeFiles and GeoTiff. Additional third-party mission management software can be integrated across the family of Bluefin UUVs.
Bluefin Dashboard
Bluefin Dashboard enables the operator to track vehicles against a chart-based interface that includes ship position indicators, mission plans and a variety of operator-specified annotations. Vehicle status is displayed to the operator via an intuitive interface. Bluefin Dashboard automatically shifts communications to the highest bandwidth channel available, providing you with a dynamic gateway to the vehicle. A variety of specialized diagnostic interfaces aid the preventative and corrective maintenance procedures for each sensor and subsystem.
Graphical User Interface
The Bluefin Dashboard interface provides monitoring and control capabilities for the UUVs while on a sortie. Bluefin Dashboard provides detailed status and control of individual vehicle subsystems from pre-dive checkout through recovery. The Bluefin-9 uses a variety of communication methods to communicate between the UUV and topside equipment. Operators are able to communicate with multiple vehicles when they are underwater, on surface, over the horizon or on deck.
Bluefin Topics
Bluefin TOPICS is Bluefin Robotics®’ communications infrastructure for high-latency, low-bandwidth communications, providing wireless in-depth monitoring and command for the user. This system includes:
- Iridium over-the-horizon communications
- Acoustic communications while on the surface
Bluefin TOPICS reports detailed mission status while on a dive, including the status of the vehicle’s subsystems, payload health and data collected. Vehicle position is also plotted on the Bluefin Dashboard chart.
Bluefin Witness
Witness is an end-to-end solution for transferring clips of imagery to operators via Bluefin TOPICS while underwater and underway. Bluefin Witness allows operators to:
- Verify payload data quality
- Identify objects of interest while underway
- Better inform decision making
Bluefin Witness processes payload data in real time onboard the UUV, compresses the imagery and sends it to operators via the acoustic communication link throughout a mission.
Ask An Expert
Are you interested in learning more about our user-friendly Operator Tool Suite? Or are you looking to speak with an expert about improving your UUV mission planning and execution? Contact our team!
