Trusted Solutions

Established in 1971, Sonardyne is an international group of companies manufacturing subsea instrumentation. We specialise in the solutions for underwater navigation, underwater acoustic positioning, subsea communications, through-water control and surface and subsea inertial navigation.

Applications for our technology are found within the offshore oil exploration, construction, drilling and oceanographic industries. In many of these areas, the products we have developed and the techniques we have pioneered have become the standard.

Sonardyne’s manufacturing facility is in the UK with regional companies strategically located around the world. We provide customers with the highest levels of service that are required to support field operations in remote and often hostile locations. This investment, together with our excellence in product engineering, has led to sustained company growth and a dedication to customer support.

Pioneering Technology

Over the last three decades, innovation and performance have maintained Sonardyne’s reputation for technical leadership and today the company’s products are recognised for their dependability and advanced design.With all projects, our approach is to work with customers to ensure we have a thorough understanding of their exact requirements and project deadlines.

In many cases, vessels, subsea systems and operating environments are unique. Where standard off-the-shelf equipment is not suitable, we can propose ‘low-risk’ solutions that encompass customised acoustics, electronics, software and mechanical hardware.This is backed up a full programme of factory acceptance testing, installation and commissioning with a company wide commitment to "make it work".

Certified by DNV to ISO 9001, quality is an inherent goal of Sonardyne’s. It is the company’s policy to design and manufacture products and provide services which are fit for purpose in all respects, including reliability and through life costs and support.

Research and Innovation

Sonardyne’s principal strength is the experience of our personnel. A fundamental understanding of the theory and practice of underwater acoustics and navigation mathematics allow us to solve a wide variety of client’s problems using our proven technology and pioneering methods.

Sonardyne’s active research programme continually seeks to develop the next generation of acoustic technologies for use in ever deeper water using new signal modulation and coding techniques from which generic families of products can be evolved.

This work is supported through continuous investment to ensure we maintain our technical leadership, manufacturing independence and ability to undertake special engineering requests.

Resources at our UK headquarters, for example, include laboratories, machine shop and large acoustic test tanks, where different acoustic conditions can be simulated. Research and testing in a marine environment takes place at our Sea Trials Centre in the South West of England.

Wavefront Systems Ltd

In 2008, Sonardyne announced the acquisition Wavefront Systems Ltd., a UK design company specialising in sonar and underwater technology.

Wavefront Systems Ltd, based in Sherborne, Dorset, was founded in 2004 by a team of defence sonar engineering professionals and has grown substantially with a focus on design and development services to the military and commercial undersea market worldwide. The Wavefront team's extensive knowledge and experience covers all aspects of sonar system design including performance modelling, acoustics, algorithms, hardware and software.

Wavefront adds many years of sonar design experience to Sonardyne's subsea technology engineering team, adding an extra dimension to its core oil and gas capability and its innovative and rapidly expanding maritime defence and security expertise.

John Partridge, Chairman, Sonardyne Group Ltd. added, "The success of the recently launched Sonardyne Sentinel diver detection system illustrates the real strength of the co-operation between the two companies. This acquisition enables a longer term approach to system design and development."

Although part of the Sonardyne Group, Wavefront will continue to operate as an autonomous subsidiary developing innovative hardware and software solutions for the next generation of sonar systems with industry partners and customers alike.

Click here to visit the Wavefront Systems website