Cable and pipeline inspections cover a broad range of operations including telecommunication cables, power cables and power cables from offshore energy generation as well as feeder and export pipelines for oil and gas.

These types of inspection have three segments;
1) pre-lay assessment of route,
2) installation surveying to verify adherence to requirements and
3) post-lay checking for movement, damage or wear.

Whether a pipeline or cable has been trenched, buried or is lying on the seabed, these are not static. Obstructions such as abandoned nets, seabed movement and scouring create hazards for the installations and stresses and strains are introduced. The AUV will carry information from pre-lay and installation survey and compare these real time with the actual conditions recorded – the data will be aligned and fused, and based on a set of pre-defined rules, the AUV can conduct additional data recordings to reveal the conditions of the installation.

Furthermore, the AUV will be able to touch down on the pipeline and make cathodic protection measurements using its ability to hover and remain dynamically positioned in the water.