Multiple or Single Target Positioning and Tracking System for Dynamically Positioned Work Vessels, Exploration Ships, and Offshore Construction Operations. MDL’s Fanbeam is a laser range and angle system designed for repetitive, high accuracy positioning and tracking of marine vessels, and static and semi-static anchored structures.
The system is primarily used to control or assist automatic dynamic positioning (DP) of a vessel next to a platform, jetty or other vessel. Fanbeam can be employed as either a standalone collision avoidance monitoring system or as a local backup system for position control of ship/ barge docking and manoeuvring. The system is also widely used to position towed seismic vessel gun array floats during geophysical survey operations.
The basic system consists of a Laser-Scanning Head, an Autotilting Yoke and a Universal Control Unit with embedded scanning software.
An autotilt mechanism incorporated into the yoke of the Fanbeam allows the laser scanning head to be adjusted by +/-15deg giving a total beam range of -24deg to +24deg. This allows remote adjustment of the scanning head when large height differences occur between a vessel and a rig or two vessels in different states of ballast.
The Universal Control Unit (UCU) is an industrial quality PC unit designed specifically for Marine Fanbeam operations. The embedded scanning and control software is used to set up and auto track all targets in view. The rugged UCU features a backlit keypad for night operations.
MDL’s Fanbeam system has many operational advantages. The Fanbeam is straightforward to set up, performs excellently during short range operations, high accuracy is achieved consistently, the system utilises intrinsically safe targets, requires very little maintenance and is low cost compared to other systems. The versatile laser system can be employed as the primary or backup system and is considered a valuable alternative or complementary system to DGPS and other navigational aids.
