US-based Bedrock Ocean Exploration officially began operations earlier this month, offering ocean mapping services to customers.
Bedrock will provide seabed mapping services with the aid of a specially developed autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) that runs entirely on electrical power. The company said the unmanned craft is designed to shorten the time needed to conduct seafloor surveys in addition to minimising the adverse impact that such surveys have on the environment.
Among the key features of the AUV is a sonar suite that can operate above 200 kHz, which is outside the auditory range of marine mammals.