GRi Simulations has recently provided a GRi Integrated Pilot Station for Beijing OceanEco Technology Co. Ltd., which will be used to create a highly realistic platform for ROV pilot training.

OceanEco specializes in the provision of scientific instruments and equipment in fields as diverse as ocean scientific survey, engineering and environmental protection, and monitoring. Located in the ShangDi Information Technology Industry Base, the company maintains a diverse focus on subsea equipment and processes in such areas as ROVs and AUVs, sonar, and marine surveying.

GRi has created the Integrated Pilot Station with the objective of maintaining fidelity to real-world processes in ROV piloting. In the past, ROV control panels were often fixed to an immovable rack with small monitors which were not conducive to pilot comfort over long missions. In recent years there has been a focus on the ergonomic conditions that allow the pilot to access controls from a comfortable position in an integrated control design. This focus on pilot comfort has led to the prevalence of “chair-based” control systems which the GRi Integrated Pilot Station seeks to emulate in its design. Controls are placed in more easily accessible positions that greatly reduce pilot strain and fatigue over long missions. These accessible controls are realized in the form of a mounted touchscreen that the pilot can manipulate by means of a user interface which has been designed to facilitate the interactivity of the Integrated Pilot Station.

The Integrated Pilot Station runs VROV, GRi’s industry proven software package for the training of ROV pilots. As ROV systems have progressed, so too has the need for an ROV simulator that integrates ergonomic conditions with fidelity to navigational and environmental conditions. This focus on the complete piloting experience makes GRi’s Integrated Pilot Station an invaluable educational tool.