Hydro Products Ltd history - the beginnings
Hydro Products was formulated in 1989 and registered as a limited trading company in 1997 taking over some of the technology support from the original Hydro Products Inc of San Diego, California.
Hydro Products Inc was a defence sector supplier to the US Naval Forces and specialised in what are now known as ROV's (Remotely Operated Vehicles).
The 1982 RCV225 vehicle - exhibiting a tilting SIT camera, exceptional maneuverability and small size - advanced technology foir the time !!
RCV 225 Serial number 50 painted in gold - acquired by Comex Houlder Diving in 1982 as part of a £1M purchase deal for a number of RCV 225 systems and spares for their NS and overseas ROV operations.
RCV225 eyeball vehicle with TMS in action offshore - 1982
The original descriptive term in the 1970's for u/w vehicles was RCV (Remotely Controlled Vehicle). These small spheroid shaped vehicles were suited to submarine deployments underwater and the concept of using these for the then emerging Oil & Gas business became apparent.
The RCV225 was later followed by the RCV150. The RCV225 "eyeball" as it was termed, was the first commercial u/w vehicle system to be a production line product with some 150 systems sold in a very short time period.
Don Mackay (now Director of HPLtd) was appointed the North Sea Manager forming the company Hydro Products Ltd based in Aberdeen, the first office was established in the now Thistle Hotel at Aberdeen Airport in rooms 53 and 54 - halcyon days! Later corporate developments included HPLtd being absorbed into the Honeywell structure - not a good thing for RCV's in the longer term as they disappeared within a few short years !
ABOUT US
Hydro Products Ltd was incorporated in 1997 and began operations as a supplier of underwater technology to the marine industry. HPL was based in Aberdeen where most of the offshore operations for the O&G industry exist.
The origins of the Company were linked to the original USA Company (HP Inc) in terms of user support for:
Rig wellhead TV systems, camera spares, scientific instrument and U/W ROV Launcher spares.
These products still being used in the offshore industry in a few isolated locations to this day.
However, since 2000 Hydro Products Ltd has established new products and services in the following technology areas:
a) ROV systems for Inspection and Survey operations
b) AUV Technology for Defence and Oil & Gas sector
c) Sonar multibeam and SS sonar technology
d) Weather Forecasting for Marine sector
Each of these technologies were on a development curve starting in the year 2000, achievement in these early stages was difficult due to the early state of evolution of all three technologies - this was the challenge !!
Hydro Products embarked on an introductory phase of the products within these general technology categories and later proved the formula to be both commercially attractive and profitable following much work and worry for Hydro Products - glad to say each product has been a success story in their own right - eventually!
Present status of the technology:
Current Technologies available from Hydro Products Ltd:
CETRAX 300 - A new generation cost effective electric powered ROV.
This newly introduced vehicle system features magnetically coupled brushless thrusters, four camera /lights (LED) viewing (with low light and 26:1 zoom), PC based controls with powerful diagnostics and a variety of sonar and camera options along with Manipulator capability. The price is to be confirmed but we know it will be very competitive with other ROV packages in this class. Hydro Products is the distributer for the CETRAX 300 ROV system which will be trialled around last quarter of 2008.
Gavia - Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV):
GAVIA is the AUV product designed and manufactured by HAFMYND-GAVIA based in Iceland but with outlets through representation in UK, USA, Scandinavia and other world locations. Hydro Products Ltd is the UK Representative for Gavia AUV systems.
During 2008 we plan on offering the commercial industry a RENTAL access facility for the Gavia vehicle system. Details are available from Hydro Products Ltd, give us a call on email, info@hydro-products.co.uk, or Don1mack@aol.com. or tel/ Fax +44(0) 1975 563705
GAVIA is considered the most advanced and matured small class AUV system with modular design commercially available in the world today. The mature Controller design uses a unique method of mission planning and operation, termed Intelligent Artificial Crew (IAC), the hull design incorporates latest propulsion and hydro-plane power transmission with electrically operated actuators in a 1 or 2 man handled size/weight Modular Sensor package exhibiting low drag hydro-dynamic characteristics and flexibility of assembly in the field.
The GAVIA AUV is described more comprehensively on : www.gavia.is
For further Technical and Commercial information on GAVIA please contact us in the first instance at: info@hydro-products.co.uk
Imagenex Technology Corporation of Canada:
Sonar Technology:
The principle products range cover : Side Scan imaging sonar, Multibeam Profiling sonar technology and Imaging scanning sonar .
New innovative developments include :
a) 300m range Profiler Multibeam sonar - type 837- 120KHz
b) 100m Multibeam Dual / Single transducer Profilers - types 837, 837A and 837B
c) Azimuth Drive multibeam sonar - for stationary platform operations requiring 3D image data for measurement and 3D display of target areas.
d) High resolution, high speed scanning Imaging sonar for close range imaging for ROV and other uses - type BFS 886/16 and BFS 886/32
e) Dual head multibeam Profiling for ROV inspection/ pipeline survey operations
f) Trenching Profiling multibeam sonars
NB All of these sonar applications are addressed with very cost effective new generation multibeam technology products using ethernet communications and fast data links to standard acquisition and post processing packages currently commercially available.
eg Eiva, QINSy, Caris, Hypack, OIC and others...
Contact should be made in the first instance to info@hydro-products.co.uk for demonstration and price quotation information.
High Resolution Weather Forecasting , Nowcasting (NCPRo):
For comprehensive details of the services provided by Nowcasting and NCPRo these are available from: info@hydro-products.co.uk
The 3, 5, 7 and 10 day General Forecasting is supplied to clients world wide using the Nowcasting Wilkens weather forecasting system, an Aberdeen based Forecasting Service linked with Nowcasting Ltd Aberdeen office location and supported by Forecaster services in Houston in addition to Aberdeen UK and the Ireland central base.
NCPRo is the product technology from NOWCASTING International Ltd based in Ennis, Co Clare, Ireland. The Company offers a unique approach to weather forecast delivery to a wide range of Marine sector clients, the system offers High Resolution (spatially and temporally), weather forecasting over 72 hours in sea areas around the North Sea ,Mediterranean, Gulf of Mexico and other regions. A high level of operator friendliness and interactivity with clear graphical displays is a feature of the NCPRo design. The present version of NCPro5 is available, to be upgraded to NCPRo6 soon, giving hi-res forecasting over 96 hrs period and including real-time weather data access, using latest display technology for PC and Laptop users.
Nowcasting also offers full weather General Forecasting over 3 to 10 days with new full water column forecasting of current speed /direction in selected regions. This operates in Gulf of Mexico in a related service known a Loop Current prediction. Also a Hindcasting historical weather service is available going back some 40 or 50 yrs if necessary, for many site specific areas of the world.
Nowcasting International NCPRo is described more comprehensively on : www.nowcasting.ie
Specialised Imaging and Data Processing:
Hydro Products is able to provide a range of bespoke data processing services related to 2D , 3D digital and combined Image and Acoustic data processing (mosaic, chirp signal processing etc)
These unique and specialised products and services are available from Hydro Products Ltd by association with a highly respected, experienced and specialised digital system design Company situated in Scotland, UK.
In the first instance please contact : info@hydro-products.co.uk
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