Forcys highlights the Vigilant FLS 600 as a forward-looking sonar system for Extra-Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (XLUUV) navigation. Read more >>
XLUUV missions can require autonomous platforms to move from deep water into shallow, congested coastal environments where access to reliable hydrographic data may be limited and the vehicle may operate close to the seabed, submerged infrastructure, other vessels and potentially hostile forces. In these conditions, autonomous platforms require strong environmental awareness and sufficient time to respond safely to unexpected hazards.
Vigilant FLS 600 provides active obstacle detection through the water column at ranges of up to 1,000 meters, giving an XLUUV’s command and control system time to detect and track a potential obstruction, assess collision risk and carry out an appropriate avoidance maneuver. Earlier detection supports a more progressive response rather than abrupt course changes, mission abortion or unnecessary surfacing.
The system also provides a 600-meter 3D bathymetric mode that generates a high-resolution, real-time representation of the seabed ahead of the vehicle, enabling the XLUUV to assess bottom clearance, identify changes in seabed gradient and plan a safe route through complex or poorly charted terrain. This allows the vehicle to update its understanding of the environment as a mission progresses rather than relying solely on stored hydrographic data.
For missions where discretion is required, Vigilant also provides a passive acoustic capability that can capture and process broadband acoustic signatures from vessels, machinery and other sound-producing contacts without requiring the XLUUV to transmit an active sonar signal. By combining long-range obstacle detection, high-resolution real-time 3D bathymetric mapping and passive acoustic sensing, Vigilant FLS 600 provides the physical perception capability needed to support autonomous XLUUV navigation from deep-water transit to covert operations in complex littoral environments.
Read ‘Why Vigilant FLS 600 is the natural choice for XLUUV navigation’ for more information.
