Fugro NV, Boeing and Oceaneering International Inc have said that the jointly developed Echo Ranger, an unmanned autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) that performs deepwater surveying, has entered service for clients in the Gulf of Mexico.

The three companies have formed an alliance to provide deepwater AUV survey services around the world employing this new system.

Echo Ranger operates at water depths to 3,000 metres (10,000 feet) and is a more cost effective alternative for gas, oil, and telecommunications companies seeking to collect deepwater "swath" bathymetry, survey natural and man-made seafloor features, and profile sub-bottom marine sediments.

In contrast to a traditional towed survey system that requires the use of a long umbilical cable to transmit information back to a tow-vessel, Echo Ranger internally stores data from the various survey sensors for download upon vehicle recovery.

In addition, for real-time data observation and quality control, the Echo Ranger can also transmit survey data back to the mother ship through the water column by use of an on-board acoustic modem.

A similar modem arrangement sends operating instructions to the vehicle and to receive critical feedback on system performance.

Both Fugro, a Dutch firm engaged in offshore survey services and US-based Oceaneering, a manufacturer and operator of remotely operated underwater vehicles, have worldwide bases of operation that can support the AUV.