Forcys details how technology provided by its partners supported the successful discovery of Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance, located more than 3,000 meters beneath sea ice in Antarctica’s Weddell Sea after being lost for more than 100 years. Read more >>
Organized and funded by the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust, the Endurance22 expedition set out to locate the remarkably well-preserved wreck using advanced underwater technologies and autonomous systems operating in challenging polar conditions.
A central component of the mission involved the deployment of Saab Seaeye Sabertooth hybrid Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) from the icebreaking polar supply and research vessel S.A. Agulhas II. The operation presented significant technical challenges due to the extreme depth of the search area and the demanding under-ice environment.
Image Credit: Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust and Nick Birtwistle.
During seabed survey operations near the location where Shackleton’s 1914-1917 expedition concluded, the underwater vehicles relied on navigation technology from Forcys’ technology partner Sonardyne. The systems enabled precise localization throughout the deep-water search operation by combining Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) with highly accurate short baseline positioning capabilities.
Following the discovery of Endurance, optical imaging systems from Forcys’ technology partner Voyis were integrated with the Saab Sabertooth platform to document the wreck. The Voyis Insight Pro and Observer stills camera systems were used to capture imagery and generate detailed 3D models of the vessel, helping visualize the historic shipwreck in high detail. The software platform used to acquire, process, and display mission data was developed by Forcys’ technology partner EIVA, supporting the handling and interpretation of information collected throughout the expedition.
The Endurance22 expedition successfully achieved all of its mission objectives. According to Forcys, the operation demonstrated concepts of operation and technical building blocks relevant to salvage and submarine rescue activities. The company notes that these technologies may support more effective rescue operations while also improving forensic data collection capabilities for future missions.
Read ‘Forcys’ technology partners help locate Shackleton’s historic Endurance’ for more information.
