FIELD OPS · CONTROLLED DOCUMENT
AE-SOP-0330 — ROV / Drone-Swarm Tasking
To task and coordinate the Argus Swarm ROVs and Petrel Wing aerial drones for survey, inspection, and remote intervention, keeping crewed hulls clear of hazardous work. The procedure guarantees that every sortie has a defined task envelope and recovery margin, that the swarm holds deconfliction separation under NEREID coordination, and that no asset is committed beyond the energy reserve needed to come home — because an ROV lost in a working line is both an asset and an evidence gap.
ActiveField OpsRev C
Doc Control AE-SOP-0330Revision CEffective 2090-05-22Next Review 2091-05-22Owner Fleet OperationsApprover Fleet AdmiraltyStatus ActiveClass RESTRICTED // TIDEWATER-EYES-ONLY
1. Purpose
To task and coordinate the Argus Swarm ROVs and Petrel Wing aerial drones for survey, inspection, and remote intervention, keeping crewed hulls clear of hazardous work. The procedure guarantees that every sortie has a defined task envelope and recovery margin, that the swarm holds deconfliction separation under NEREID coordination, and that no asset is committed beyond the energy reserve needed to come home — because an ROV lost in a working line is both an asset and an evidence gap.
2. Scope
All Argus Swarm ROV and Petrel Wing aerial tasking.
- In scope: Sortie planning, swarm deconfliction, task execution, energy-reserve management, and recovery.
- Out of scope: The interdiction action a swarm may support, which follows AE-SOP-0320; gyre-station launch and recovery logistics, which follow AE-SOP-0450.
3. Definitions
| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Argus Swarm | The coordinated group of ROVs tasked for subsea survey, inspection, and remote intervention. |
| Petrel Wing | The aerial drone element tasked for surface survey, spotting, and relay. |
| Task Envelope | The defined area, depth, and duration boundary within which a sortie operates. |
| Deconfliction Separation | The minimum spacing held between swarm assets to prevent collision and signal interference. |
| Recovery Margin | The energy reserve held back so every asset can return and be recovered. |
4. Responsibilities
| Role | Responsibility |
|---|
| Fleet Operations (Owner) | Owns tasking; defines the task envelope and authorises each sortie. |
| Swarm Operator | Launches, monitors, and recovers assets and manages energy reserves in flight. |
| Mission Analyst | Processes swarm survey and inspection data into the operational picture. |
| NEREID | Coordinates the swarm, holds deconfliction separation, and recalls any asset breaching its recovery margin. |
5. Swarm Tasking Limits
| Asset / Task | Task Envelope | Deconfliction | Recovery Margin |
|---|
| Argus ROV — survey | ≤ 300 m depth, ≤ 4 h | ≥ 15 m separation | ≥ 25 % energy reserve |
| Argus ROV — intervention | Work-site bounded | ≥ 10 m, line-aware | ≥ 35 % energy reserve |
| Petrel Wing — spotting | Line-of-sight + relay | ≥ 50 m vertical | ≥ 20 % battery reserve |
| DSV Nerites escort task | Rated depth envelope | Crewed-hull priority | Per dive plan |
Note. No asset is tasked beyond its recovery margin; an ROV near a working line holds the line-aware separation, and NEREID recalls any unit that breaches reserve before the task is complete.
6. Materials & Equipment
- Argus Swarm ROV fleet with tethered and free-swimming units
- Petrel Wing aerial drone element
- Swarm coordination and deconfliction console
- Energy-reserve telemetry per asset
- Recovery cradles and launch/recovery rig
- Mission data-processing pipeline
7. Procedure
7.1 Plan
- Define the task envelope — area, depth, and duration — for the sortie.
- Set the recovery margin for every committed asset.
- Brief deconfliction separation across the swarm.
7.2 Execute
- Launch and hold assets within the task envelope.
- Maintain deconfliction separation under NEREID coordination.
- Hold line-aware separation for any intervention near working lines.
7.3 Recover
- Recall any asset breaching its recovery margin before task completion.
- Recover all assets and confirm the full count home.
- Process the sortie data into the operational picture.
8. Records
- Sortie tasking record with task envelope (retained 3 years)
- Per-asset energy-reserve and telemetry log
- Deconfliction and recall event log
- Asset recovery and count-home confirmation
- Mission data-processing output
9. References
10. Revision History
| Rev | Date | Author | Summary |
|---|
| A | 2088-11-30 | Fleet Operations | Initial issue; ROV tasking envelopes and recovery margins established. |
| B | 2089-09-18 | Fleet Operations | Added aerial Petrel Wing element and swarm deconfliction. |
| C | 2090-05-22 | Fleet Operations | NEREID swarm coordination and automatic reserve-breach recall added. |