How deep can it go?

2023-09-14

“How deep can it go?”

That’s a question we get asked a lot.

Many AUV:s are neutrally buoyant and solely relies on forward momentum and dive planes to “drive” themselves down to a desired depth.

The AUV Ålen can do the same, but it is also equipped with two independent integrated ballast tank/pump modules. These are positioned front and back to also give some pitch control.

But the main advantage is that Ålen can dive statically, straight down, with zero forward speed. This gives added maneuverability and agility. Besides just being pretty cool 😊

However, this feature comes at a cost. When hovering at, let’s say 10 meters depth (= 1 Bar), the ballast pumps need to be able to empty the ballast tanks and push the water out, overcoming the surrounding water pressure fighting back.

This is the parameter that will define how deep Ålen can go. To be able to give a more confident answer to the question we set up a test. A test that would push and even cross the limit of how deep we can go, so that Ålen can operate within robust and validated margins of safety.