Imaging Sonar – Impact Subsea

Putting the ISS360 to the test at Capernwray

Lisa Mann — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 10:12:51 +0000

This week the team spent a productive day at Capernwray Diving Centre in Lancashire, England, putting the ISS360 sonar series through its paces.

By deploying our range of high performance imaging sonars from pole mounts, tripods and a Blueye Robotics ROV allows us to test the performance in a range of deployment scenarios.

It’s one thing to talk about performance; it’s another to see it mapping underwater wrecks in real-time.

A successful trip with even better results. Check out some highlights from the day!

ISS360HD Data and ROV camera of Hawker Siddeley HS 748 plane

Capernwray Diving Centre

Showing submerged descending road into the quarry. The road fades out of view as it drops below the ISS360 acoustic beam

Setting up at Capernwray Diving Centre

ISS360HD – Two oil drums

Viewing data with the ISS360HD mounted on a tripod

Small plane shown at the 5 o’clock position and top of boat at the 1 o-clock position, close to the centre

Finding a wreck with our Blueye Robotics ROV fitted with a ISS360HD sonar

Sonar image shows boat at 10 o’clock position close to the centre of screen. The structure of the cover can be seen in the acoustic shadow. Second boat at 3 o’clock.

Capernwray Diving Centre chart of wrecks

Here’s Capernwray Diving Centre Website: https://www.dive-site.co.uk/

Looking forward, Impact Subsea continues to invest in the long-term development of the ISS360 and ISS360HD Sonar. Further new developments in the ISS360 range are expected to be released later in 2026.

[Explore the ISS360 Series] | [Access the SDK on GitHub] |

[ISS360 YouTube Playlist] |

Breaking Boundaries in Subsea Imaging: How the ISS360 Series is Redefining Compact Sonar

Lisa Mann — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:11:09 +0000

Impact Subsea is proud to highlight the continuous development and global success of the ISS360 Imaging Sonar series.

Since its groundbreaking debut in 2020, the ISS360 has evolved into the industry’s premier solution for Subsea Imaging on ROV and AUV for navigation and target identification, offering a modern, high-performance replacement for legacy, scanning sonar systems.

A Five-Year Journey of Technical Excellence

Launched in March 2020 as the world’s smallest scanning, imaging sonar, the ISS360 was designed to provide a step-change in capability for the underwater vehicle market.

The ISS360 Imaging Sonar has undergone development, evolving from the world’s most compact, scanning sonar into a high-definition powerhouse that outperforms systems many times its size.

Over the past five years, Impact Subsea has maintained a rigorous development roadmap to meet the increasing demands of the subsea industry:

2020: The Foundation: Introduced resilient operation via inductive coupling, entirely removing the need for slip rings, a common failure point in traditional scanning sonars.

2021: Extreme Depth: Launched the 6,000-meter rated ISS360, featuring a Titanium housing and specialized pressure-compensated components for ultra-deepwater missions.

2022: High-Definition Clarity: The launch of the ISS360HD brought a 1° acoustic angular resolution and a 2.5mm range resolution, enabling operators to identify targets in zero-visibility conditions with unprecedented detail.

2023: Seamless Integration: Direct GitHub access to an Open-Source Software Development Kit (SDK), allowing AUV developers to integrate the sonar directly into bespoke software packages.

2024: Released Impact Subsea Signalling Scheme (IS³): To reduce interference between sonars operating in close proximity to each other. This advanced signalling scheme makes use of CHIRP combined with Phase Shift modulation and coding.

2024: Released the ISP360: Expanding the sonar range with a profiling sonar option.

Seamless Integration: Open-Source SDK

Impact Subsea believes in empowering users to push the boundaries of subsea autonomy. To facilitate this, the company provides a free, open-source Software Development Kit (SDK) for direct integration. This operating-system-independent library, available via GitHub, has allowed AUV developers and manufacturers to integrate the ISS360 sonar directly into bespoke software packages, enabling custom interfaces and advanced vehicle autonomy.

The Ideal Upgrade for Legacy Systems

If your operations relied on recently discontinued compact scanning sonar lines, the ISS360 offers a superior path forward. It was designed from the ground up to exceed legacy sonar performance in every metric.

While the ISS360 represents the cutting edge of sonar development, Impact Subsea understands that reliability is built on support. The company is dedicated to providing long-term availability and comprehensive technical support for the ISS360 range.

To ensure peak performance throughout the life of the sensor, Impact Subsea offers professional servicing to maintain seal integrity, O-rings and calibration.

Proven Performance for Subsea Imaging

The ISS360 has earned “performance wins” in some of the most challenging subsea environments. Notable achievements include:

High-Value Recovery: Guiding a Mohawk ROV to recover over $1 million in lost oceanographic equipment in near-zero visibility.

Scientific Autonomy: Integration into the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) REMUS AUVs for advanced obstacle avoidance.

Infrastructure Lead: Trusted by Bay Dynamics for high-precision reservoir inspections.

Cable Touchdown Monitoring: Integrated with North Sea Systems’ innovative CableFish® system.

“The ISS360 was designed to be a step-change in the miniature sonar market,” says Ben Grant, Managing Director, Impact Subsea. “Advanced acoustics enable excellent image clarity and by eliminating slip rings and utilising Titanium as standard, we provide a more physically resilient sonar. When combined with our expert service and support, the ISS360 offers a level of longevity and performance that was previously unavailable in a sonar of this size.”

Looking forward, Impact Subsea continues to invest in the long-term development of the ISS360 and ISP360 Sonar range. Further new developments in the ISS360 range are expected to be released later in 2026.

Ready to upgrade your underwater vision?

[Explore the ISS360 Series] | [Access the SDK on GitHub] | [ISS360 YouTube Playlist]

Impact Subsea’s ISS360HD Sonar Demonstrates Superior Performance for AUV Obstacle Avoidance.

Lisa Mann — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 12:51:59 +0000

Comparing Sonar Suitability for AUV Obstacle Avoidance Poster

Impact Subsea, today shared the results of a study comparing the performance of its ISS360 and ISS360HD imaging sonars for Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) obstacle avoidance.

The study, conducted by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, was presented at the IEEE AUV Symposium in Boston.

Led by Andrew Motz, Nathan McGuire and Jeff Kaeli, the study evaluated the two sonar systems under various underwater conditions, including different ranges and target types. The researchers compared the sonars’ signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), average target strength, average noise level, overall average intensity and level of sensor saturation.

The results were clear: the ISS360HD demonstrated superior performance in all categories, particularly in terms of SNR, which is crucial for detecting obstacles at longer ranges and in challenging underwater environments.

This improved performance is due to the increased angular resolution of the ISS360HD, which enables the ISS360HD to capture more detailed and accurate information about the surrounding environment.

Ben Grant, Managing Director, Impact Subsea said;

“With the ISS360HD sonar we were keen to provide high resolution sonar imagery to all classes of underwater ROV and AUV. We are pleased to review the exciting work of MIT and WHOI and their thoughts on the ISS360HD benefits for future AUV integrations.”

The study’s findings have important implications for the marine technology industry, as AUVs are increasingly being used for a wide range of applications, including scientific research, offshore exploration and environmental monitoring.

The ISS360HD’s superior obstacle avoidance capabilities can help to ensure the safety and reliability of AUV operations while also improving their efficiency and effectiveness.

The ISS360HD sonar page

Comparing Sonar Suitability for AUV Obstacle Avoidance Poster

A previously published paper focused on using Impact Subsea sonars within AUVs as part of an automated obstacle avoidance system. Using the ISS360 sonar with the Remus 100 AUV.

Accurate Cable Touchdown Monitoring with ISS360HD Imaging Sonar

Lisa Mann — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 16:12:22 +0000

The subsea world can be a murky place, making it challenging to monitor crucial operations like cable deployment. This is where the ISS360HD Imaging Sonar comes in, recently integrated with North Sea Systems’ innovative CableFish® system. This powerful combination enables accurate visualisation and real-time monitoring of cable touchdown points during deployment.

CableFish® Cameras and Impact Subsea’s ISS360HD Sonar Image, bottom right.

Unveiling the Invisible: Benefits of ISS360HD

The ISS360HD goes beyond traditional methods by providing a continuous clear visual image of the cable throughout deployment. This is especially valuable in zero-visibility conditions where cameras are not an option.

Key features:

High-resolution imaging: Provides a detailed view of the cable and surrounding environment.
All-weather performance: Operates effectively regardless of visibility.
Side-on view: Achieved by vertically deploying the ISS360HD offering a unique perspective on the operation.

CableFish®: Revolutionising Subsea Cable Touchdown

The CableFish® system leverages the power of the ISS360HD, combined with the ISA500 Altimeter and ISD4000 Depth Sensor, to enable faster and more precise subsea cable installations. These additional sensors provide critical data for accurate cable deployment and positioning.

Key benefits of CableFish®:

Effective in challenging environments: Handles shallow waters and high currents where traditional Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) struggle.
Continuous monitoring: Provides real-time data for informed decision-making throughout deployment.
Automated operation: Automatically maintains a set altitude above the seabed, providing consistent monitoring with minimal personnel requirements and therefore significant cost savings.

Embrace Efficiency and Accuracy with This Cutting-Edge Solution

The integration of ISS360HD, ISA500 Altimeter and ISD4000 Depth Sensor with CableFish® represents a significant advancement in subsea cable installation. It offers unmatched efficiency, precision and real-time data for a smoother and more successful operation.

Further Resources:

Learn more about the ISS360HD Imaging Sonar
Discover the CableFish® system

Seatronics Select The ISS360HD Sonar

Lisa Mann — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 09:46:59 +0000

Impact Subsea has provided several ISS360HD Sonars to Seatronics, a brand in Acteon’s Data and Robotics Division.

The ISS360HD Imaging Sonar provides a step change in performance in the scanning imaging sonar market. Providing a 2.5mm range resolution combined with a 1° angular resolution enables exceptionally high definition imagery from a highly compact sonar. With a range capability in excess of 100 meters the ISS360HD can suit a range of AUV, ROV and standalone underwater applications.

Richard Main, Regional Manager UK Seatronics commented

“We have a focus to provide the best in class technology to the subsea industry. Having added ISS360 sonars earlier in the year to our rental pool we are delighted to now also add the ISS360HD. The ISS360HD will provide our customers with high resolution sonar imagery for large work class vehicles as well as observation class vehicles”.

Seatronics Selects The ISS360HD Sonar, Left Richard Main, Seatronics and right Ben Grant, Impact Subsea.

Ben Grant, Managing Director, Impact Subsea commented

“We have worked with Seatronics for many years and with the addition of the ISS360HD; now all Impact Subsea sensors can be hired from Seatronics. We have seen a high demand for the ISS360HD since launch and are delighted to continue to work with Seatronics to support that demand”.

To learn more about Seatronic’s ISS360 & ISS360HD rental solutions please click here.

To learn more about the ISS360 range of sonars please click here.

New Imaging Sonar Launched – The ISS360HD

Ben Grant — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 12:04:48 +0000

Impact Subsea has announced a new addition to the ISS360 Sonar range – the ISS360HD.

The ISS360HD offers a 1° acoustic angular resolution, 2.5mm range resolution and a distance measurement range in excess of 100 meters/328 feet. The sonar is depth rated to 6,000 meters / 19,685 feet and comes in a very compact form factor.

The ISS360HD has a very wide operational acoustic bandwidth capability; 600 to 900kHz which is fully utilised through CHIRP (Compressed High Intensity Radar Pulse) technology. The wide bandwidth CHIRP allows for an excellent range resolution of 2.5mm when using the full bandwidth.

A narrow acoustic beam, combined with a very short range resolution allows for extremely high definition imagery to be produced. This makes the ISS360HD ideal for work class ROV operations with excellent range capability and ability to identify targets in zero visibility. The form factor of the sonar also opens this capability up to even the smallest of observation class ROVs.

Below is example imagery from the ISS360HD. Image shows harbour wall, harbour floor with wheels, rope, stones etc. Also shown is the shoreline (left) and boat mooring rope on the water surface.

Example imagery from the ISS360HD.

In addition to the long range and high resolution capabilities, the ISS360HD benefits from an inductively coupled transducer. This means there are no slip rings within the sonar – so there are no components to wear out and require periodic replacement.

The sonar optionally comes with an integrated pitch and roll sensor, allowing accurate attitude readings to be provided. This is a very useful capability when deploying the sonar using a tripod to ensure level positioning. The integrated pitch and roll sensor is also a useful additional sensor reading for some underwater vehicles.

In terms of connectivity, the ISS360HD benefits from serial (RS232 and RS485) and also ethernet communications. When using ethernet communications, the sonar has been found to scan up to six times faster than other, competing serial only based sonars. This provides a significant benefit when using the sonar for underwater vehicle obstacle avoidance purposes.

The ISS360HD operates with the Impact Subsea seaView V3 software, allowing seamless use alongside the Impact Subsea Altimeter, Depth Sensor, AHRS sensor and FMD system.

For those wishing to use the ISS360HD sonar with an autonomous underwater vehicle, a Software Development Kit is freely available to allow direct integration of the sonar.

To learn more about the ISS360HD please click: here

Watch our Introduction film on YouTube: here

Impact Subsea Donates ISS360 Sonar to Aberdeen Maritime Museum

Lisa Mann — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 13:16:36 +0000

Aberdeen Maritime Museum have recently opened a new display which provides an insight into the Scottish offshore energy industry.

In support of this, Impact Subsea has donated an ISS360 Imaging Sonar to illustrate the advances in offshore technology developed in the North East of Scotland.

Commenting on the ISS360 Sonar, James Inglis, Curator at Aberdeen Maritime Museum, stated ‘The Impact Subsea ISS360 Sonar is one of the items in the new display that represents the significant shift in technology towards lower maintenance, higher capability and greater sustainability. The sonar is a “plug and play” guidance system. It is very accurate and permits autonomous or remotely guided submarines to undertake a much wider variety of tasks at depths of up to at depths 6,000m. It is maintenance free therefore does not require the equipment to be laid up regularly to allow essential recalibration. Although the technology within it is designed for use in the offshore industries, it has already been adopted for use in monitoring climate change.’

Ben Grant, Managing Director, Impact Subsea Ltd further added “The Aberdeen Maritime Museum is an excellent resource which covers the history of the North East of Scotland’s connection to the sea. For anyone in the area who wishes to learn more about activities offshore (past and present) together with developments in technology over the years, I would highly recommend a visit! We are delighted to support the illustration of technology advancement with the donation of an ISS360 Sonar”.

Close to the busy harbour, on the historic Shiprow, Aberdeen Maritime Museum tells the story of the city’s long and often dramatic relationship with the sea, from the earliest days of trading, fishing and shipbuilding, to the discovery of North Sea oil and gas, and Aberdeen’s place today as a leader in global energy transition. To learn more about the Aberdeen Maritime Museum please click here.

The ISS360 Sonar is the world’s most compact imaging sonar, leading its class in range and resolution capabilities. To learn more about the ISS360 Sonar, please let click here.

Article Photo: James Inglis, Curator (History) Aberdeen Maritime Museum (Left); Ben Grant, Managing Director Impact Subsea (Right)

New AUV Obstacle Avoidance Pipeline Using ISS360 Sonar

Lisa Mann — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 13:42:24 +0000

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has pioneered a new obstacle avoidance pipeline for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) using the Impact Subsea ISS360 Imaging Sonar.

The pipeline is intended to provide a reduced form factor, lower power requirement and a more cost effective solution than traditional approaches. The team successfully utilised the ISS360 Imaging Sonar integrated with a REMUS 100 AUV and demonstrated automatic obstacle avoidance capability with the new pipeline.

The Software Development Kit (SDK) which is freely available for the ISS360 Sonar was used to provide a simple direct integration of the sonar to the vehicle.

The work has been published in full with the IEEE in the paper titled ‘Obstacle Avoidance Pipeline for a REMUS 100 Using an ISS360 Sonar’ which can be accessed using the link at the end of this article.

Commenting on the paper, Jeffrey Kaeli, Research Engineer, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, stated ‘We’re really excited about the capabilities the ISS360 is enabling for AUVs’.

Ben Grant, Managing Director, Impact Subsea further added ‘The ISS360 is a highly compact, low power consumption sonar with impressive range and resolution capabilities. The ISS360 provides a powerful imaging sonar capability for underwater ROV & AUV applications. The pioneering work conducted by WHOI is very exciting to see and we have very much enjoyed supporting their team with this development’.

For further details on the ISS360 Imaging Sonar please click here.

For the ‘Obstacle Avoidance Pipeline for a REMUS 100 Using an ISS360 Sonar’ paper please click here.

For further information regarding Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution please click here.

World’s Most Compact 6,000m Rated Sonar Launched

Ben Grant — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 09:18:58 +0000

Impact Subsea has announced the sonar launch. The world’s most compact 6,000 meters / 19,685 feet depth rated imaging sonar.

The new addition to the ISS360 range of sonars provides a full 360° field of vision, 80 meters range capability and high resolution imagery using powerful CHIRP based signalling. Attitude readings can also be provided by the sonar.

Developed to meet the demands of deep rated Autonomous Underwater and Remotely Operated Vehicles for commercial and scientific applications. At just 72mm / 2.83 inches long and weighing 0.37kg / 0.81lbs the deep rated ISS360 Imaging sonar is understood to be the most compact available today.

With Ethernet communications facilitating exceptional scanning speeds and serial communications for integration to vehicles without Ethernet capability; the ISS360 has been designed to provide an ideal obstacle avoidance and target identification sonar for underwater vehicles.

The ISS360 makes use of an inductive coupling between the electronics and scanning transducer which ensures there are no slip rings to wear and require periodic replacement. Housed in Titanium, it ensures many years of operation without the long term corrosion issues associated with anodised aluminium or alternative housing materials.

As part of this development a miniature composite broadband transducer was designed to withstand the increased pressure. Other components in the ISS360 oil filled boot end have also been redesigned to accommodate the higher pressure rating.

Ben Grant, Managing Director, Impact Subsea, commented:

“We are excited to bring this highly compact sonar to those with operations down to six thousand meters depth. As industry endeavours to reduce the size of underwater vehicles while maintaining capability, the size of the sensors available is critical. The ISS360 has been designed to provide a step change capability for the latest generation of vehicles while providing an excellent upgrade for existing operational vehicles”.

Further details of the ISS360 Sonar launch can be found here.

Underwater Acoustics International Select The ISS360 Imaging Sonar

Ben Grant — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 12:14:36 +0000

Underwater Acoustics International ROV & ISS360 (top right)

Underwater Acoustics International (UAI) have chosen the ISS360 Imaging Sonar for installation on their Seamor Chinook ROV.

The ISS360 sonar is the world’s smallest imaging sonar, providing a full 360° field of view around the underwater vehicle. The ISS360 Sonar can detect targets within a range of 90 meters and has a unique inductive coupling of the transducer to enable maintenance-free long term operation.

Ryan Wallace, UAI Project Manager commented “The ISS360 has been an amazing ROV Navigation tool for us and does not take up any real estate on our sub. The software does not get any easier to operate and the quality construction of the sensor puts it in a class of its own”.

Underwater Acoustics International is a leading underwater services company, specializing in the inspection of penstocks, flooded conduits and tunnels. The company offer robotic systems equipment with best-in-class acoustic imaging systems that enable predictive maintenance.

Special thanks were given to ECHO81 – Impact Subsea’s distributor of products in the USA – who supplied the ISS360 sonar to UAI. For interested parties within the USA, ECHO81 are able to discuss all technical requirements, assist with integration and servicing, and provide demonstrations of the ISS360 sonar.

Learn more:

ISS360 Sonar: Click here.

Underwater Acoustics International: Click here.

ECHO81: Click here.

Underwater Acoustics International ROV camera image (left) with ISS360 Sonar image (lower right). Also shown is a Blueprint Subsea Oculus sonar image (upper right).

Underwater Acoustics International ROV with ISS360 Sonar (top right)

Article images are courtesy of Underwater Acoustics International.