ISE Explorer AUV
Gallery
Overview
Canadian modular deep-ocean AUV, built in 3,000-6,000 m versions for research institutes and survey operators.
Explorer is the modular AUV built by International Submarine Engineering of British Columbia, one of the longest-established autonomous-vehicle makers. Each Explorer is assembled from hull sections to suit the customer, so lengths, weights, and depth ratings vary: MARUM's research vehicle is 5.5 m and rated to 5,000 m, a Japanese salvage company's is rated to 3,000 m, and a 6,000 m version was sold to China's ocean-minerals agency in 2018. It cruises at about 3 knots for around a day, and extra battery sections extend that to three days. Its large payload bay carries multibeam, side-scan, sub-bottom, and synthetic aperture sonars, cameras, laser scanners, and chemical sensors. Explorers have mapped the seafloor for science, resources, and under-ice research.
Primary Roles
Notes
Configurations vary: MARUM's Explorer is 5.5 m x 0.74 m, 1,300 kg, rated to 5,000 m, with 15.6 kWh batteries; a Fukada Salvage unit is 4.6 m, 950 kg, rated to 3,000 m; a 6,000 m Explorer was sold to China's COMRA in 2018. ISE quotes 24 hours extendable to 72 hours with added battery sections and a 3-hour deck turnaround.
