Desert
Star and VideoRay Join in Technology and Marketing Agreement to
Cut Price and Increase Use
Manufacturer of Underwater
Positioning Systems Integrates With Largest Manufacturer of Mini
ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles)
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U.S. Maritime Security Expo, New York City, September 18, 2002
– In support of homeland security initiatives, VideoRay announced
today an agreement to jointly develop and market the Desert Star
Pilot System and the AquaMap Shiphull positioning systems, which
allow accurate navigation and searching with the 8-pound VideoRay
ROV, regardless of visibility. This agreement empowers the VideoRay
ROV with a range of positioning systems that are critical to locating
and removing underwater objects including treasure, ordinance, or
bodies. The agreement will result in sales of Desert Star systems
at a significantly lower cost – up to 40 percent off the $9,995
current price -- making the system more accessible to agencies protecting
and inspecting our coastlines, piers, and ships. VideoRay will be
displaying its ROV in Booth 500 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center.
With the integration of Desert Star positioning, the VideoRay
becomes a practical search, survey and inspection tool with multiple
positioning capabilities: The PILOT short baseline (SBL) system
provides reliable tracking data for ROV navigation and sea floor
searches. Tracking data can be either ship relative, or in a latitude/longitude
framework with ROV position shown against the background of a chart.
By adding three or four baseline stations, a precision long baseline
(LBL) ‘AquaMap’ is obtained. AquaMap yields high precision
fixes, generally better than 1 meter and as good as 0.15 meters.
AquaMap software is available for ship hull inspections and precision
sea floor surveys.
Beyond the Desert Star system, only high-end positioning systems
that cost well above $100,000 (USD) provide multiple modes of operation,
which is critical for law enforcement, military, and rescue operations.
Among low cost systems, Desert Star is unique in its ability to
offer multiple modes, so the operator can switch between various
operations without a change to the equipment. For example, a law
enforcement team might use VideoRay to inspect a ship hull for contraband,
then use PILOT to quickly scan the sea floor in search of evidence,
followed by a sub-meter precision AquaMap survey once signs of evidence
are located. AquaMap ShipHull was developed during several years
of ship hull inspection research for the US Navy and private companies.
"We have long been impressed with the capabilities and utility
of the VideoRay ROV system, which now leads in volume among mini
ROV manufacturers,” says Marco Flagg, founder of Desert Star
Systems in Marina, California. “The integration of the Desert
Star Pilot system advances the VideoRay as a trust-worthy tool for
security searches, inspections, mapping, and search and rescue in
deep, shallow, turbid, and open waters.”
"Desert Star systems are the perfect complement to the VideoRay,
and we are very proud to offer their technologies,” says Scott
Bentley, president and founder of VideoRay LLC. “This is an
important step in replacing expensive and dangerous dive operations
with affordable ROV technology.”
VideoRay has redesigned its float block to integrate the Desert
Star system, which affords accuracy well below one meter with directional
accuracy at +/- 0.6 degrees with 40 foot transducer spacing. The
float block improvements not only accommodate the system but also
improve buoyancy and thrust.
For IMAGES ONLINE, specific
to this press release; also see general
product images.
Contact: Desert Star Systems LLC • 761
Neeson Rd. #9 • Marina, CA 93933 • tel. 831-384-8000
/ fax 831-384-8062 • E-mail - desertstar@desertstar.com
• www.desertstar.com
Contact VideoRay LLC • 400 Eagleview Blvd.
• Exton, PA 19341 USA • Phone: (610) 458-3000 •
FAX: (610) 458-3010 • www.videoray.com
### All brands and product names are trademarks
of their respective owners.
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