How do USBLs work?

Ranger 2 USBL calculates the position of an underwater target by measuring the range (distance) and bearing (heading) from a vessel-mounted transceiver to an acoustic transponder fitted to the target; a technique known as Ultra-Short BaseLine (USBL) positioning. One of the main advantages of the USBL technique is that no other in-water acoustic equipment has to be deployed before underwater operations can commence. Only the targets being tracked need to be equipped with a transponder.

The Sonardyne 6G and Wideband 2 technology inside all of our USBL systems offer precise acoustic ranging and hardware that is easier to set up and operate, even in the most challenging subsea operating environments. These features improve the efficiency of survey operations, reduce vessel delays and generate cost savings for owners.