Kraken Robotics Inc. has announced a purchase order from Qikiqtaaluk Corporation (QC) for their AquaPix® synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) which will be integrated to an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) that the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation will use to conduct ghost gear detection operations in the Arctic. Delivery is expected in 2023, and the contract value is more than Can$600,000.

Qikiqtaaluk Corporation is the for-profit economic development arm of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA), focused on strengthening the social and economic well-being of the Qikiqtani region of Nunavut and its Inuit people. Qikiqtaaluk Corporation will use Kraken’s SAS in a variety of applications in Canada’s north including ghost fishing detection, seabed and habitat classification, environmental monitoring, and scientific research.

“Qikiqtaaluk Corporation is very pleased to enter into this contract with Kraken Robotics for the purchase of its high-resolution AquaPix SAS sonar,” stated Peter Keenainak, vice-president of fisheries with QC. ”This technology will help us fill some of the large data gaps in our northern waters, inclusive of ghost gear detection and seabed and habitat mapping. QC wishes to acknowledge the generous support of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ (DFO) Ghost Gear Fund which made this purchase possible,” he continued.

Kraken’s AquaPix® is an off-the-shelf, configurable SAS that replaces high-end sidescan systems while reportedly delivering higher-resolution, range, and area coverage rates (ACR). The company says the increased range, resolution, and associated higher ACR (area coverage rate) of SAS over traditional sidescan sonar systems significantly expand the capabilities of naval, scientific, and commercial applications.