The company, which listed on the ASX just six weeks ago, yesterday announced Live Remove Viewing, a new product feature that enables real-time underwater viewing and interactivity between Aquabotix's underwater drone products and remote customers via the cloud.

 

Live Remote Viewing, designed specifically for the company's Endura remotely operated vehicle, and AquaLens Connect, the networked underwater camera system, utilises remote diagnostics to allow off-site operators to monitor multiple inspections, operations and exploration activities from a single platform in real time.

 

AquaLens Connect can be installed permanently on each pile on, and can even be pointed at the well of an offshore platform to provide real-time viewing and monitoring of the conditions.

 

Aquabotix executive director Brendan Martin told Energy News that each platform can also have an Endura 300, the company's 300m depth rated commercial-class unmanned underwater vehicle, rigged up for inspections.

 

"A central nerve centre for a major oil and gas company [like] Shell or BP could have constant real-time ‘eyes on' all of their assets at once," he said. 

 

"If for some reason something required a closer look [at] a leak, wear and tear, etc, someone on the platform who is trained as an Aquabotix UUV pilot can send down the Endura 300 for a closer look."

 

"The real advantage of this is that both the UUV pilot and the nerve centre can view the asset in question in real time, so the experts do not need to be out on the rig to provide guidance. 

 

"The global expert in well-head structures can stay put and watch-over all of the assets at once."

 

He clarified, however, that while the technology is commercailly ready, no operator has taken it up - yet.

 

He likened the technology to developments in tele-health, where patients can connect with doctors over the internet using a service such as Skype, rather than see them in person.

 

With the Internet of Things changing the way the world communicates, Aquabotix developed the technology believing underwater should be no different.

 

Aquabotix CEO Durval Tavares said it was part of addressing the "pain points" of its clients across oil and gas, port infrastructure, aquaculture and other research areas by transforming an underwater vehicle - a previously singular, disconnected entity - into one where multiple underwater technologies can work together on the one platform.