Marine fiber optic spools

Key features

  • from 300 m to 1000 m
  • lightweight and compact
  • high bandwidth allowing video and control transmissions
  • neutral buoyancy
  • directly mounted onto the underwater vehicle
  • detwisted fiber optic coil for a secured and fast deployment
  • withstands deep water pressure
  • resistant to sea salt corrosion
  • SM and MM fibers
  • custom designs up to 20 km

Marine fiber optic spools

The RBOB fiber optic spools are ideal to remotely control underwater tethered vehicles that have to operate in conditions where it is dangerous or impossible to have an onboard human presence, and where radio frequency signals cannot be transmitted.

These disposable* systems are built in very compact and lightweight packages where the optical fiber is reinforced by a custom design cable and spooled with a high precision, offering a high speed and detwisted deployment of the optical fiber over long distances.

The deployable side of the spool is equipped with an ST connector to the control station on a support vessel or on land, while the opposite fiber end is pigtailed with a 1.8 mm standard jacket to be directly connected to the underwater robot with a hermetically sealed interface.

These spools, also called “tapes”, can be made with either singlemode or multimode optical fibers.

Please contact us to discuss your specific requirements.

*there is no possibility to re-use the fiber after deployment; the fiber is dumped into the sea.

Datasheet Your specific request

  • RBOB-91A

    Spool length
    from 300 m to 500 m
    Dimensions
    80 mm height x 85 mm diameter
    Weight
    < 300 g max.
    Connection to the control station
    ST connector mounted on the extruded overcoating fiber
    Connection to the vehicle
    30 cm long pigtail with 1.8 mm jacket and terminated with a ST connector
    Fiber type
    SM enforced fiber 9/125/350 μm
    MM GI 50/125/350 μm OM2
    Operating wavelength range
    1310-1550 nm
    850-1300 nm
    Bend radius
    5 mm
    10 mm
    Insertion loss (without connector)
    0.7 dB/km @1310 nm and @1550 nm
    3.0 dB/km @850 nm ; < 1.5 dB/km @1300 nm
    Tensile strength
    > 34 N
    -
    Breaking strength
    60 N
    -
    Deployment force
    < 0.05 N
    -

    Read more

  • RBOB-91B

    Spool length
    from 600 m to 1000 m
    Dimensions
    110 mm height x 85 mm diameter
    Weight
    < 450 g max.
    Connection to the control station
    ST connector mounted on the extruded overcoating fiber
    Connection to the vehicle
    30 cm long pigtail with 1.8 mm jacket and terminated with an ST connector
    Fiber type
    SM enforced fiber 9/125/350 μm
    MM GI 50/125/350 μm OM2
    Operating wavelength range
    1310-1550 nm
    850-1300 nm
    Bend radius
    5 mm
    10 mm
    Insertion loss (without connector)
    0.7 dB/km @1310 nm and @1550 nm
    3.0 dB/km @850 nm ; < 1.5 dB/km @1300 nm
    Tensile strength
    > 34 N
    -
    Breaking strength
    60 N
    -
    Deployment force
    < 0.05 N
    -

    Read more

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