What ECHO81 does

ECHO81 is a US-based specialty distributor and rental operator for underwater hydrographic and geophysical survey equipment, headquartered in Hartwell, Georgia, with a second office in Houston, Texas. The company sells, rents, and integrates instruments spanning 18 product categories — multibeam echosounders, side scan sonars, sub-bottom profilers, magnetometers, navigation systems, sound velocity profilers, USBLs, AUVs, imaging sonars, winches and cable counters, and hydrographic software — sourced from tier-1 OEMs including Kongsberg, EdgeTech, Applanix/Trimble, AML Oceanographic, R2Sonic, iXblue/Exail, Sonardyne, Valeport, and Teledyne. ECHO81 holds 100+ individual SKUs in both sale and rental configurations, enabling turnkey bundled solutions such as the EdgeTech 6205s2 multibeam sonar integrated with Applanix POSMV SurfMaster motion/positioning.

The company operates a full-service model that bundles equipment sales, short- and long-term rentals, basic and advanced operator training, an in-house authorized AML Oceanographic Calibration Center, systems integration, consultancy, mobilization support, and asset management. Customers span eight end markets — Oil & Gas, Renewables, Geophysical, Environmental, Construction, Positioning, Oceanography, and Hydrography — and request pricing via a quote-based model (no public list prices). Go-to-market is a hybrid of direct consultative field sales, phone-based enterprise sales (+1 706-522-3022), a WooCommerce-enabled ecommerce storefront, OEM partner co-marketing, and industry event presence (US Hydro 2025, International WorkBoat Show).

In October 2025, NOR Offshore Rental (part of the NOR Group) acquired ECHO81, with the site now co-branded as ECHO81-NOR and a Houston, TX branch opened in November 2025 to extend Gulf Coast coverage. The company is privately held, was founded circa 2016, employs 11-50 people, and is led by President Damon Wolfe. No revenue, funding, or cap-table data is publicly disclosed.

Name

ECHO81

Legal name

ECHO81

Website

https://echo81.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ECHO81 is a US-based specialty distributor and rental operator for hydrographic and geophysical underwater survey equipment, serving oil & gas, renewables, and survey contractors with sales, rentals, training, systems integration, and authorized sensor calibration services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hydrographic and geophysical survey equipment

NAICS

Other Support Activities for Water Transportation (48839)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)

akta.pro primary industry

Offshore Support & Marine Logistics Vessel Operators (PSV/AHTS) (TLADABAL)

Keywords

• Hydrographic survey equipment
• Subsea multibeam echosounders
• Side scan sonar rental
• USBL positioning systems
• Underwater survey rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Hartwell

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Equipment Rental: Short- and long-term rental of subsea survey equipment (multibeam echosounders, side scan sonars, USBLs, AUVs, winches, magnetometers, etc.) to survey operators on a project basis. Configured as a recurring rental revenue stream.
2. Equipment Sales: One-time sales of new underwater survey sensors and systems from partners such as Kongsberg, EdgeTech, Applanix, AML Oceanographic, and R2Sonic to commercial, government, and research buyers.
3. Professional Services (Training, Consultancy, Systems Integration, Mobilization, Asset Management): Fee-based professional services including basic and advanced operator training, consultancy, custom systems integration, mobilization support, maintenance/calibration, and asset management.
4. Maintenance & Calibration Services (AML Oceanographic Calibration Center): Recurring/scheduled revenue from sensor calibration, maintenance, and repair performed at the AML Oceanographic Calibration Center.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ECHO81 rents and sells hydrographic and geophysical survey instruments (multibeam echosounders, side scan sonars, sub-bottom profilers, single beam echosounders, USBL positioning systems, beacons, AUVs, magnetometers, sound velocity profilers, winches and cable counters, and 2D/3D imaging sonars) sourced from tier-1 OEMs such as Kongsberg, EdgeTech, Applanix, AML Oceanographic, R2Sonic, and iXblue/Exail. The company bundles the equipment fleet with professional services including training, an in-house AML Oceanographic Calibration Center, systems integration, consultancy, mobilization support, and asset management for offshore survey projects.

Product overview

ECHO81 is a single-line specialty distribution and services business organized around the rental and sale of subsea survey equipment, not a multi-product software platform. The core offering is a catalog of physical instruments grouped by technology category — Multibeam Echosounders (e.g., Kongsberg EM 2040 MKII, EM 2040C MKII, EM 2040P MKII, EM 2042, EM 712, M3 Sonar HF, R2Sonic 2022/2024/2026, EdgeTech 6205s2), Single Beam Echosounders (Kongsberg EA 440), USBL positioning systems and beacons (Kongsberg uPAP 200-NEL, Kongsberg 352P MGC R3, Kongsberg cNODE Micro/MiniS, iXblue GAPS M5/M7, Applied Acoustics 1100 Series), Winches and Cable Counters (HSP 22", OI 24" Bluetooth, SeaGear Oceanographic Winch), 2D/3D Imaging Sonars for ROV tooling (Impact Subsea ISS360/ISS360HD), and survey Software Packages (HYPACK MAX & HYSWEEP). Each major instrument is offered in both a Sales SKU and a paired Rental SKU where applicable, and ECHO81 wraps the catalog with adjacent services — Sales, Rentals, Training, the AML Oceanographic Calibration Center, Maintenance & Calibration, Systems Integration, Consultancy, Mobilization Support, and Asset Management. The product portfolio functions as a turnkey supplier for hydrographic, geophysical, oil & gas, renewables, construction, environmental, oceanographic, and positioning survey projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kongsberg EM 2040 MKII Multibeam Echosounder (Sale) High-resolution multibeam echosounder from Kongsberg offered by ECHO81 for sale, suited for hydrographic mapping and inspection-grade bathymetry for hydrographic offices, offshore survey contractors, and research institutions.
• Kongsberg EM 2040C MKII Multibeam Echosounder (Sale) Compact variant of the Kongsberg EM 2040 MKII multibeam echosounder offered for sale by ECHO81, designed for small survey platforms where size and weight are constrained.
• Kongsberg EM 2040P MKII Multibeam Echosounder (Sale) Shallow-water multibeam echo sounder based on EM 2040 technology with 200-700 kHz frequency range, sold by ECHO81 as sonar head, processing unit, and workstation bundle for shallow-water hydrographic surveys.
• Kongsberg EM 2042 Multibeam Echosounder (Sale) Lightweight shallow-water multibeam echosounder with real/true yaw stabilization and high data density, offered for sale by ECHO81 for USVs and small survey vessels.
• Kongsberg EM 712 Multibeam Echosounder (Sale) High to very high-resolution seabed mapping multibeam echosounder with depth range from under 3 m to up to 3,600 m (depending on array size) and swath width up to 5.5x water depth, sold by ECHO81 for deep-water hydrographic surveys.
• Kongsberg EM 712 Multibeam Echosounder (Rental) Rental unit of the Kongsberg EM 712 high/very-high-resolution multibeam echosounder, provided by ECHO81 with depth range from under 3 m to 3,000 m and swath width up to 4,400 m for deep-water survey projects.
• Kongsberg M3 Sonar HF (Sale) High-frequency multibeam sonar with imaging and profiling modes, all-titanium construction, 4,000 m depth rating, 140-degree distortion-free coverage, and CHIRP/Doppler modes, sold by ECHO81 for ROV and pole-mount deployment.
• Kongsberg M3 Sonar HF (Rental) Rental unit of the Kongsberg M3 Sonar HF high-frequency multibeam/ROV-deployable sonar with imaging and profiling capabilities, CHIRP and Doppler modes, offered by ECHO81 for subsea inspection projects.
• EdgeTech 6205s2 Multibeam Sonar (Sale) EdgeTech 6205s2 swath bathymetry and side scan sonar system offered for sale by ECHO81, available standalone or integrated with a 19-inch rack mount and Applanix POSMV SurfMaster motion/positioning system.
• EdgeTech 6205s2 Multibeam Sonar with Applanix POSMV SurfMaster Bundle (Sale) Bundled sale configuration of the EdgeTech 6205s2 multibeam sonar with 19-inch rack mount integrated with the Applanix POSMV SurfMaster motion/positioning system, sold by ECHO81 for hydrographic survey projects.
• EdgeTech 2300B Combined Tri-Frequency Side Scan / Sub-bottom / 3D Bathymetry System (Rental) Rental combined system from EdgeTech: 2300B tri-frequency side scan sonar with 3D bathymetry and high-resolution sub-bottom profiler, available from ECHO81 for geophysical and hydrographic survey projects.
• EdgeTech 6205s2 Multibeam Sonar (Rental) Rental unit of the EdgeTech 6205s2 multibeam sonar (swath bathymetry and side scan) offered by ECHO81 for hydrographic survey projects.
• R2Sonic 2022 Multibeam Sonar (Rental) Rental of the R2Sonic 2022 wideband multibeam echosounder from ECHO81 for hydrographic survey applications requiring flexible frequency operation.
• R2Sonic 2024 Multibeam Sonar (Rental) Rental of the R2Sonic 2024 AUV wideband multibeam echosounder, designed for autonomous underwater vehicle survey deployment, offered by ECHO81.
• R2Sonic 2026 Multibeam Sonar (Rental) Rental of the R2Sonic 2026 multibeam sonar with projector configuration, a wideband multibeam sonar for hydrographic surveys offered by ECHO81.
• Kongsberg EA 440 Single Beam Echosounder (Sale) Kongsberg EA 440 broadband single beam echo sounder with WBT topside, Simrad 38/200 kHz transducer, interface cabling, and software, sold by ECHO81 with support for depth, side scan, and sub-bottom profiling.
• Kongsberg EA 440 Single Beam Echosounder (Rental) Rental unit of the Kongsberg EA 440 hydrographic multi-frequency single beam echo sounder with up to 8 simultaneous channels, 38-500 kHz frequencies, and 15 kHz sub-bottom capability, offered by ECHO81 for shallow to medium depth surveys (0.2 m to 3,000 m).
• Kongsberg uPAP 200-NEL Portable USBL (Sale) Portable µPAP acoustic positioning system in SSBL mode for tracking ROVs, tow fish, divers, and subsea objects, offering Cymbal DSSS acoustic protocol, sold by ECHO81.
• Kongsberg uPAP 200-NEL Portable USBL (Rental) Rental unit of the Kongsberg uPAP 200-NEL portable USBL with portable operator unit, transducer, 25 m cable, APOS base software, and manual; tracking range several thousand meters, offered by ECHO81.
• Kongsberg 352P MGC R3 USBL System (Sale) Kongsberg 352P MGC R3 USBL positioning system offered for sale by ECHO81 for real-time subsea vehicle tracking in offshore survey operations.
• Kongsberg 352P MGC R3 USBL System (Rental) Rental of the Kongsberg 352P MGC R3 USBL system for subsea acoustic positioning and tracking of underwater vehicles, offered by ECHO81.
• Kongsberg cNODE Micro 31-180 Beacon (Sale) Kongsberg cNODE Micro 31-180 acoustic transponder/beacon sold by ECHO81 for use as part of USBL positioning systems in subsea tracking applications.
• Kongsberg cNODE Micro 31-180 Beacon (Rental) Rental unit of the Kongsberg cNODE Micro 31-180 beacon/transponder for USBL positioning systems, offered by ECHO81.
• Kongsberg cNODE MiniS 31-180 Beacon with Pressure Sensor (Sale) Kongsberg cNODE MiniS 31-180 beacon with integrated pressure sensor, sold by ECHO81 for subsea USBL positioning applications.
• Kongsberg cNODE MiniS 31-180 Beacon with Pressure Sensor (Rental) Rental of the Kongsberg cNODE MiniS 31-180 beacon with integrated pressure sensor for USBL positioning, offered by ECHO81.
• iXblue GAPS M5 USBL (Rental) Rental of the iXblue GAPS M5 USBL positioning system for high-accuracy underwater vehicle navigation, offered by ECHO81.
• iXblue GAPS M7 USBL (Rental) Rental of the iXblue GAPS M7 USBL positioning system for subsea acoustic tracking of underwater vehicles and divers, offered by ECHO81.
• Applied Acoustics 1100 Series Mini Beacon (Rental) Rental mini beacon from Applied Acoustics 1100 Series for use with USBL positioning systems, offered by ECHO81.
• HSP 22" Sheave Counter (Sale) HSP 22-inch sheave cable counter sold by ECHO81 for accurate cable measurement during subsea survey deployments.
• HSP 22" Sheave Counter (Rental) Rental unit of the HSP 22-inch sheave cable counter for subsea survey cable measurement, offered by ECHO81.
• OI 24" Sheave Counter with Bluetooth (Rental) Rental unit of the OI 24-inch sheave cable counter with Bluetooth connectivity for subsea survey cable measurement, offered by ECHO81.
• SeaGear Oceanographic Winch (Sale) SeaGear oceanographic winch for deployment and retrieval of underwater survey equipment, offered for sale by ECHO81.
• SeaGear Oceanographic Winch (Rental) Rental of the SeaGear oceanographic winch for deployment and retrieval of survey equipment in marine environments, offered by ECHO81.
• Impact Subsea ISS360 Imaging Sonar (Sale) Impact Subsea ISS360 imaging sonar for ROV tooling applications, offered for sale by ECHO81 for subsea imaging.
• Impact Subsea ISS360HD Imaging Sonar (Sale) High-definition version of the Impact Subsea ISS360 imaging sonar for ROV tooling applications, sold by ECHO81.
• Impact Subsea ISS360 Imaging Sonar (Rental) Rental unit of the Impact Subsea ISS360 imaging sonar for ROV tooling applications, offered by ECHO81.
• Impact Subsea ISS360HD Imaging Sonar (Rental) Rental unit of the Impact Subsea ISS360HD high-definition imaging sonar for ROV tooling applications, offered by ECHO81.
• HYPACK MAX and HYSWEEP Hydrographic Survey Software (Rental) Rental of HYPACK MAX hydrographic survey software with the HYSWEEP multibeam data collection module for hydrographic surveys, offered by ECHO81 alongside multibeam echosounder rentals.
• Equipment Sales Service Equipment sales service delivering the latest underwater survey technologies and best-in-class sensors from leading OEMs to clients across hydrographic, geophysical, environmental, and offshore markets.
• Equipment Rentals Service Complete rental solutions for hydrographic and geophysical survey instrumentation, with an extensive offering of survey equipment available for short and long-term rental.
• Survey Equipment Training Service Comprehensive training curriculums (basic and advanced) for subsea survey equipment operation, ensuring customer investments are utilized to full potential.
• AML Oceanographic Calibration Center In-house AML Oceanographic Calibration Center providing instrument calibration services for oceanographic and hydrographic survey equipment, operated by ECHO81 as an authorized calibration partner.
• Maintenance and Calibration Service Maintenance and calibration services for hydrographic and geophysical survey equipment to ensure reliability and accuracy of customer assets.
• Systems Integration Service Systems integration service combining multiple survey components (multibeam, side scan, sub-bottom, USBL, positioning, winches, and software) into turnkey hydrographic and geophysical survey solutions for client-specific project requirements.
• Survey Consultancy Service Professional consultancy providing unbiased opinions and advice to help clients make informed decisions on subsea survey equipment and operations.
• Mobilization Support Service Mobilization support service assisting clients with deployment, setup, and commissioning of survey equipment for offshore and onshore projects.
• Survey Asset Management Service Asset management service for clients' hydrographic and geophysical survey equipment inventory, including lifecycle and utilization management.

Quantifiable outcome

• Full catalog spans 18 subsea survey product categories with 100+ SKUs offered for sale and rental.
• +2 more outcomes

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship / core partner, core partner, flagship / corporate parent, secondary partner and minor.

• Kongsberg (Kongsberg Maritime / Discovery)flagship / core partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthorized distributor and rental partner for Kongsberg's multibeam echosounders (EM 2040 MKII, EM 2040C MKII, EM 2040P MKII, EM 2042, EM 712), USBL systems (uPAP, 352P, cNODE), single beam echosounders (EA 440), and the M3 Sonar HF. ECHO81 prominently lists Kongsberg as a key collaboration partner ("ECHO81 Kongsberg Partnership") and links to kongsberg.com/discovery for co-marketing.
• EdgeTechcore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthorized distributor and rental partner for EdgeTech subsea survey products including the 6205s2 Multibeam Sonar (with integrated Applanix POSMV SurfMaster) and the 2300B Combined Tri-Frequency Side Scan Sonar with 3D Bathymetry & High Resolution Sub-bottom Profiler. EdgeTech is one of ECHO81's headline technology partners.
• Applanix (Trimble)core partnerTechnology or IntegrationDistribution and integration partner for Applanix POSMV SurfMaster positioning/INS systems, which are integrated with EdgeTech 6205s2 multibeam sonars for hydrographic survey solutions. Listed under filter brands and as a featured integration partner.
• AML Oceanographicflagship / core partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerECHO81 operates an authorized AML Oceanographic Calibration Center providing certified calibration services. AML is also a featured equipment brand (SVT sensors integrated into Kongsberg EM 2040P MKII sonar head; other AML products in the rental fleet). Direct partnership enables the dedicated calibration service offering.
• NOR Offshore Rentalflagship / corporate parentStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOR Offshore Rental acquired ECHO81, integrating it into the NOR Group. ECHO81 now brands itself as ECHO81-NOR and benefits from NOR Group operational scale and resources; NOR gains a U.S. subsea survey equipment specialist. Major corporate milestone announced via ECHO81 news section.
• R2Sonicsecondary partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized reseller and rental partner for R2Sonic wideband multibeam echosounders including the 2022, 2024 (AUV), and 2026 models, listed across sales and rental product categories.
• iXblue / Exailsecondary partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized reseller and rental partner for iXblue GAPS M5 and M7 USBL positioning systems, available in ECHO81's USBL rental fleet.
• Applied Acousticssecondary partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized rental partner for Applied Acoustics 1100 Series Mini Beacons used in USBL and subsea tracking applications.
• Sonardynesecondary partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as one of ECHO81's featured equipment brands (under filter-by-brand), indicating authorized distribution and rental for Sonardyne positioning and acoustic products.
• Valeportsecondary partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as a featured brand, indicating authorized distribution for Valeport sound velocity profilers and oceanographic sensors.
• Teledynesecondary partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as a featured equipment brand in the ECHO81 catalog filter, indicating distribution for Teledyne marine survey instruments.
• HYPACKsecondary partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRental partner for HYPACK MAX & HYSWEEP hydrographic survey software, offered alongside multibeam echosounder rentals.
• QPSsecondary partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as a featured brand in ECHO81's catalog filter, indicating distribution for QPS hydrographic software solutions.
• SonarWizsecondary partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as a featured brand in ECHO81's catalog filter, indicating distribution for SonarWiz side scan sonar processing software.
• Impact Subseasecondary partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized sales and rental partner for Impact Subsea ISS360 and ISS360HD imaging sonars, listed under ROV Tooling categories.
• USM (Universal Sonar Mount)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized rental partner for USM HighTower OTS and Compact OTS Sonar Mounts, sold and rented alongside USBL systems.
• HSP, SeaGear, Geometrics, Innomar, SEABER, MSF, Trimble, Fugro Marinestar, POSPacminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAdditional equipment brands listed under ECHO81's filter-by-brand catalog, indicating authorized distribution/resale across winches, sheave counters, magnetometers, sub-bottom profilers, AUVs, navigation, and GNSS correction services.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Valeport: Valeport is a UK-based OEM of sound velocity profilers, CTDs, and oceanographic sensors used in hydrographic surveys, and operates rental channels. It is a listed ECHO81 brand partner and a peer for the sound velocity and oceanographic instrument segments.
• Seatronics (Acteon Group): Seatronics is one of the largest global subsea equipment rental companies, offering multibeam sonars, USBLs, side scan sonars, and ROV tooling for rent and sale. Like ECHO81, it provides authorized-rental representation for tier-1 OEMs and serves offshore oil & gas, renewables, and hydrographic survey markets, making it the closest direct comparable in business model and customer base.
• iXblue / Exail: Exail (formerly iXblue) designs and manufactures USBL positioning systems (GAPS M5/M7), INS, and acoustic products, and also runs a subsea rental operation. It overlaps with ECHO81's USBL and high-accuracy positioning rental fleet and shares the same hydrographic survey end customers.
• NOR Offshore Rental (NOR Group): NOR Offshore Rental is the strategic parent that acquired ECHO81 in October 2025. NOR operates its own subsea equipment rental business across offshore markets, sharing ECHO81's rental-led model, OEM-partner distribution approach, and target customer base (offshore survey contractors and oil & gas operators).
• Tritech International (Moog Inc.): Tritech is an OEM of imaging and profiling sonars (and related sensors) commonly deployed on ROVs and AUVs, with direct rental and distribution channels into offshore survey. It competes with ECHO81 in the imaging-sonar / ROV tooling category and shares the same subsea survey customers.

Broad incumbents

• EdgeTech: EdgeTech is a leading OEM of side scan, sub-bottom, and combined bathymetry sonars (e.g., 6205s2, 2300B). It is a featured ECHO81 partner but also sells direct and through other distributors, overlapping with ECHO81's hydrographic and geophysical survey product lines.
• Sonardyne: Sonardyne is a tier-1 OEM for subsea acoustic positioning, inertial navigation, and sonar systems and operates its own rental and survey services arm. As one of ECHO81's listed brand partners and a direct seller into the same hydrographic and offshore markets, it is both a supplier and an adjacent competitor.
• Teledyne Marine: Teledyne Marine is a broad OEM portfolio of subsea imaging, sonar, and oceanographic instrumentation brands. It overlaps with ECHO81's catalog (multibeam, side scan, sound velocity) and competes both as a manufacturer selling direct and through its own rental/service channels.
• Forum Energy Technologies (FET): FET is a global provider of subsea equipment, ROV tooling, and survey-related products serving offshore oil & gas and renewables. It competes with ECHO81 in marine survey equipment distribution and rental across multiple end markets.
• Kongsberg Maritime (Discovery): Kongsberg Maritime's Discovery division is the dominant OEM for hydrographic multibeam echosounders and USBLs (EM 2040 family, EA 440, uPAP, cNODE). It is ECHO81's flagship OEM partner but also competes via direct sales and global service hubs, making it both supplier and incumbent competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/echo81llc
• Facebookfacebook.com/echo81LLC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/echo81

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ECHO81