Teledyne Technologies becoming major player in unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) sensors

Posted by John Keller

THE MIL & AERO BLOG, 19 March 2013. Teledyne Technologies Inc., an integrated imaging and defense electronics company in Thousand Oaks, Calif., is becoming a major player in sensors and payloads for unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs).

The company has made two key acquisitions over the past year that put Teledyne in the forefront of UUV sensor payloads. Teledyne specializes is digital imaging sensors and cameras, micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS), defense electronics, harsh-environment interconnects, data acquisition and communications equipment, and software development, and now is moving strongly into UUVs.

Teledyne just this month completed an acquisition of RESON A/S in Slangerup, Denmark, which boosts the company's expertise in imaging sonar, UUVs, and other marine instrumentation. RESON builds high-resolution marine acoustic imaging and measurement systems.

Related stories -- Teledyne boosts expertise in imaging sonar and UUV technology with acquisition of RESON A/S -- Navy researchers look to BlueView Technologies for UUV 450 Khz forward-looking sonar systems -- Teledyne BlueView begins shipping tiny imaging sonar suitable for small submarines and UUVs.

Last year Teledyne completed its acquisition of BlueView Technologies Inc. in Seattle, which develops technologies in high-resolution underwater acoustic imaging and measurement, including mission-critical instruments for underwater navigation, monitoring, survey, and detection.

Last summer the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR) in Arlington, Va., awarded a $1.5 million contract to Teledyne BlueView to develop a low-power 450 Khz interferometric forward-looking sonar (FLS) system for UUVs.

The BlueView acquisition is bearing fruit in other ways, as well. Earlier this year Teledyne BlueView began shipping a newly developed M Series 2D multibeam imaging sonar systems for real-time high-resolution sonar imagery for underwater navigation, monitoring, target tracking, and other underwater imaging tasks.

The small size of the M Series imaging sonar, which company officials say is 30 percent smaller than Teledyne BlueView’s P900 Series and includes the same features and functionality, is particularly useful UUVs that must operate in tight, dangerous subsurface regions.

Look for Teledyne to continue acquisitions and technology development in UUV sensor payloads, as the company becomes a force to contend with in this market.