Épaulard at La Seyne-sur-Mer
History
France
Name	Épaulard
Namesake	Killer whale
Owner	Ifremer
Builder	ECA Group [2]
Commissioned	1980 [1]
General characteristics
Class and type	remotely operated underwater vehicle
Displacement	3 tonnes [1]
Length	4 metres [1]
Beam	1.1 metres [2]
Height	2 metres [2]
Depth	6000 m [1]
Propulsion	Sail
Speed	1 m/s [2]
Range	20 km [1]
Endurance	7 to 12 hours [2] [1]
Sensors and processing systems	5000-shot BENTHOS 377 photographic camera [2] [1]
Armour	Aluminum [3]

Épaulard is a French remotely operated underwater vehicle of the Ifremer. She was the first robotic submarine capable of taking photographs at a depth of 6000 metres. Built in 1980, Épaulard was decommissioned in 1991.

Design

Épaulard was designed and built by ECA Group ^[2] She was teleoperated from a support ship by means of acoustic signals. ^[1] While the submarine herself displaced three tonnes, the entire system would use up 35m² of deck space and weight 20 tonnes; such systems were installed on a number of Ifremer ships such as Noroît, Suroît, Atalante or Jean Charcot. ^[1]

In 1983, she was upgraded with a vertical propeller and a remote TV system with acoustic broadcast of images. ^[1]

Career

Starting in 1981, Épaulard was used for the study of nodules and shipwrecks on the Pacific seafloor. ^[1]

She was decommissioned in 1991, having performed 200 missions. ^[1]

Citations