Jake Palmer, Relationship Manager at FarSounder discusses forward-looking sonar technology, emphasizing its ease of integration into autonomous vessels, the company’s commitment to environmentally friendly design, and emerging trends in the unmanned maritime sector.
How does FarSounder’s Argos Forward Looking Sonar (FLS) technology enhance situational awareness for unmanned maritime vehicles?
Argos systems provide real-time 3D data of the underwater environment ahead of a vessel, enabling unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) to detect obstacles below the sea surface. This technology creates a continuously updated bathymetric map of where the ship has been, offering vital information for safe navigation, especially in shallow or uncharted waters.
Argos helps USVs autonomously detect and avoid underwater hazards such as reefs, whales, wrecks, ice, and debris. By delivering real-time processed data to onboard autonomy systems, Argos FLS enhances decision-making capabilities, reduces risk, and increases mission reliability, even without a human in the loop.
How are your forward looking sonar solutions being integrated into uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs)?
Integration is straightforward with our Software Development Kit (SDK) and Ethernet-based machine interface that allows seamless integration into autonomous control systems. This enables vehicle control systems to access fully processed, real-time navigation data. For human-in-the-loop operations, Argos also provides an intuitive user interface.
Regarding the physical installation, Argos sonars can be fixed-mounted or installed with a hoist, making it adaptable to a range of USV platforms. Our systems have been selected and successfully integrated into a number of major unmanned programs, including government-led initiatives.
Can you explain the unique capabilities of your Argos systems in detecting underwater obstacles and hazards in real time?
One of the most exciting and core capabilities is the ability to detect obstacles in real time, and this information can be viewed in 3D and on a chart. The system offers a wide field-of-view—up to 120° in short-range mode—and can detect obstacles up to 1000 meters ahead, depending on the model and sea conditions. The sonar is capable of detecting hazards such as shallow bottoms and in-water dangers that pose threats to vessel safety. This heightened level of spatial awareness allows USVs to make intelligent navigation decisions and reroute in real time, enhancing operational safety and mission success.
Can the sonar detect whales? Is it safe for the environment?
Yes, the sonar can detect whales. The topic of marine mammal detection is something that FarSounder’s engineering team has been working on since the inception of the technology. The team has recently collected exciting engineering data on the acoustic reflectivity of whales. Our long-term goal is to eventually add to the scientific knowledge about these incredible animals and provide quantifiable performance metrics for a variety of whale types in a variety of environments.
Our technology development is based on the premise that it must not create new problems for the marine environment while trying to resolve others. Therefore, over the years, it has been necessary for the team to ensure our products would not negatively impact the marine mammals we were trying to help protect. The engineering team has worked hard to ensure the technology is benign to whales and cannot acoustically harass all marine mammals.
With advancements in sonar technology, what emerging trends do you foresee in the unmanned maritime sector, and how is FarSounder positioning itself to lead in that area?
As the maritime industry rapidly evolves toward autonomy, key trends include real time underwater awareness, improved obstacle detection, and greater mission independence for USVs. There is also growing interest in fleet sharing of crowd-sourced data, AI-based decision- making, and integrated bridge systems.
FarSounder is uniquely positioned to lead in this space by offering COTS (Commercial Off-The-Shelf) 3D sonar solutions that are operational on vessels worldwide. Our ability to provide machine-readable outputs, seamless integrations, and autonomous control compatibility positions us at the forefront of unmanned navigation. With ongoing collaborations across defense, commercial, and research sectors, FarSounder continues to drive innovation for next-generation uncrewed maritime operations.
