applied acoustics

What applied acoustics does

Applied Acoustics (legal entity: applied acoustic engineering Limited) is a UK-based designer and manufacturer of subsea navigation, acoustic positioning, and marine seismic survey equipment, founded in 1996 and operating as the primary subsidiary of the aae technologies Group. The company's core technology centers on Ultra Short Baseline (USBL) acoustic positioning systems operating in the 18-34 kHz frequency range, complemented by integrated inertial navigation (Pyxis INS + USBL), acoustic positioning beacons (micro through seabed series), submersible GNSS receivers (MiniPod) for splash zone positioning, and multi-channel seismic streamers and sound sources (HydraSeis, Dura-Spark, S-Boom) for geophysical survey applications.

The product portfolio addresses the fundamental challenge that GPS signals do not penetrate water, enabling accurate tracking of underwater targets including ROVs, AUVs, divers, and towfish across water depths from shallow to 4,000+ meters with sub-meter accuracy. Applied Acoustics serves seven primary verticals: offshore renewables, oil & gas, defence, ocean science and academia, aquaculture, port and harbour surveys, and UXO detection and clearance. Notable customers include Fugro, BAE Systems, BP, Eni, Boskalis, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and rental partners Seatronics and Ashtead Technology.

The company operates a hybrid go-to-market combining direct sales from its UK headquarters (Gorleston, Norfolk) and a North America office (Dartmouth, Canada at COVE) with a global distributor network spanning Australia, Europe, and North America. Revenue is generated primarily through quote-based hardware sales of positioned systems and beacons, supplemented by after-sales services including design engineering, field support, technical support, testing and calibration, training, and return material authorization. The company has received two Queen's Awards for Enterprise in International Trade (2017 and 2019), maintains ISO 9001:2015 certification, and has shipped over 500 USBL systems globally.

Name

applied acoustics

Legal name

applied acoustic engineering Limited

Website

https://appliedacoustics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Applied Acoustics designs and manufactures subsea acoustic positioning (USBL), inertial navigation, and marine seismic survey equipment for offshore renewables, oil and gas, defence, ocean science, aquaculture, and port survey applications worldwide, selling directly and via a global distributor network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Subsea acoustic positioning and marine survey equipment

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Oil & Gas Field Machinery & Equipment (3533), Oil & Gas Field Exploration Services (1382)

akta.pro primary industry

Sonar, Undersea Sensors & Acoustic Detection Systems (IMABAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Navigation Systems (ECDIS, Radar, GNSS, AIS) (IMAJAJAE), Naval Sensors & Sonar Systems (IMABAKAD), Navigation & Aids-to-Navigation Works (Beacons, Buoys, Markers) (IMAFAJAH)

Keywords

• Subsea acoustic positioning
• USBL tracking systems
• Marine seismic survey
• Submersible GNSS receivers
• Underwater navigation equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Gorleston

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Subsea Navigation and Positioning Equipment: Sale of USBL systems, acoustic positioning beacons, and related subsea tracking equipment for marine applications.
2. Marine Seismic Survey Equipment: Sale of geophysical survey systems including seismic streamers, boomers, sparkers, and energy sources.
3. After-Sales Services: Design engineering, field support, technical support, testing and calibration, training, and return material authorisation services.
4. MiniPod GNSS Systems: Submersible GNSS receivers for precise positioning in splash zone environments.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Applied acoustics designs, manufactures and supplies subsea navigation, positioning and marine seismic survey equipment. Its core product families are Easytrak Ultra Short Baseline (USBL) systems for tracking ROVs, AUVs, divers and towfish; a full range of acoustic positioning beacons (micro, mini, midi, fatboy and seabed); acoustic release beacons for subsea equipment recovery; geophysical survey systems including the HydraSeis multi-channel streamer, boomers and sparkers; and MiniPod submersible GNSS receivers for splash-zone positioning. The company also provides design engineering, field support, technical support, testing and calibration, and training services.

Product overview

Applied acoustics designs and manufactures a comprehensive portfolio of subsea navigation, positioning, and marine seismic survey products. The product range centers on five core categories: Easytrak USBL (Ultra Short Baseline) Systems for tracking divers, ROVs, AUVs and towfish; Positioning Beacons (Micro, Mini, Midi, Fatboy, and Seabed series) for acoustic positioning across various depths; Release Beacons for subsea equipment recovery; Geophysical Survey Systems including the HydraSeis multi-channel streamer, boomers, sparkers, and S-Boom systems for sub-bottom profiling; and MiniPods - submersible GNSS receivers for precise positioning in the splash zone. All products are designed and developed in the UK and used globally across sectors including offshore renewables, oil and gas, defence, ocean science, aquaculture, and port surveys.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Easytrak: Family of compact Ultra Short Baseline (USBL) systems designed for efficient tracking of underwater targets such as divers, ROVs, AUVs and towfish.
• Pyxis
• MiniPod
• HydraSeis
• Dura-Spark

Products and services

• Easytrak USBL Systems Compact Ultra Short Baseline (USBL) systems designed for efficient tracking of underwater targets including divers, ROVs, AUVs and tow fish, with range up to 4,000m+ and typical accuracy of 0.1-1% of slant range.
• Pyxis INS + USBL Factory-calibrated integrated inertial navigation system combined with USBL technology that delivers sub-meter accuracy for Side Scan Sonar positioning while eliminating the need for traditional seabed beacon calibration in the field.
• Easytrak Nexus 2 Max (Model 2698) Advanced USBL system with a re-engineered design for improved accuracy and efficiency in subsea tracking applications, announced on 16 December 2025.
• Easytrak Nexus 2 Lite (2696) Compact entry-level USBL system within the Easytrak range for efficient tracking of underwater targets.
• Easytrak Vesta USBL (Model EZT-2666) Entry-level USBL system designed for basic subsea positioning and tracking applications.
• MIPS 2 (2785 / 2786) Motion and positioning sensor system integrated with USBL technology for vessel motion compensation.
• Easytrak Nexus USBL (Model 2691) Proven USBL system for accurate subsea navigation, originally launched as the Nexus 2 at Oceanology 2016.
• Positioning Beacons Extensive range of acoustic positioning beacons spanning micro beacons for shallow water through mini, midi, fatboy, and seabed beacons for deep and challenging environments.
• Release Beacons Acoustic release beacons used to recover or lower equipment deployed under the sea in shallow or continental shelf waters.
• Geophysical Survey Systems Complete range of geophysical survey systems combining high performance with industry-leading safety standards for sub-bottom profiling and seismic surveys, including streamers, boomers, sparkers, energy sources, slip rings and processing software.
• HydraSeis Multi-Channel Seismic Streamer Multi-channel seismic streamer system for high-resolution geophysical survey operations.
• MiniPod Submersible GNSS Receivers Submersible GNSS receivers delivering precise positioning using global navigation satellite systems while operating in the challenging splash zone environment.
• Design Engineering Services Custom design engineering services for subsea acoustic positioning and survey system integration.
• Field Support Services On-site field support services for deployment, operation and troubleshooting of subsea acoustic positioning equipment.
• Technical Support Services Technical support services for customers using applied acoustics equipment, delivered via a dedicated technical support team.
• Testing and Calibration Services Testing and calibration services for applied acoustics positioning and survey equipment.
• Training Services Training services for users of applied acoustics products, including hands-on USBL workshops hosted on partner vessels at industry events.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced vessel mobilisation time by an average of 1 full day per mobilisation by eliminating traditional USBL seabed beacon calibration
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Briggs MarinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBriggs Marine provides survey vessels (Mersey Guardian and Solent Guardian) for applied acoustics product demonstrations and USBL training workshops. Their five 'Guardian' class survey vessels serve as platforms for nearshore and coastal survey activities and demonstrations.
• Ashtead TechnologyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEquipment rental company offering applied acoustics products in their rental fleet including Pyxis INS + USBL systems.
• SeatronicsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEquipment rental company that added applied acoustics Pyxis INS + USBL to their rental fleet.
• COVE (Centre for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOVE in Dartmouth, Canada hosts the North America office of applied acoustics, providing a collaborative marine innovation hub location.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sonardyne International: UK-headquartered manufacturer of acoustic positioning, inertial navigation, and sonar systems for subsea applications. Direct competitor in USBL, INS, and acoustic release beacons across offshore energy, defence, and ocean science markets.
• Exail (formerly iXblue): French-headquartered manufacturer of high-performance inertial navigation systems and acoustic positioning solutions. Competes directly in INS + USBL integrated offerings, particularly for hydrographic and offshore survey markets.
• EvoLogics: German manufacturer of underwater acoustic positioning and communication systems using S2C (Sweep Spread Carrier) technology. Direct competitor in underwater acoustic positioning and tracking for offshore and research markets.
• Blueprint Subsea (Oceanscience): UK-headquartered provider of acoustic positioning and hydrographic survey equipment including USBL systems and seafloor mapping tools. Competes with applied acoustics' USBL and geophysical survey product lines for nearshore and hydrographic applications.

Broad incumbents

• Kongsberg Maritime: Norwegian-headquartered supplier of subsea navigation, acoustic positioning, sonar, and marine robotics. Broader portfolio spans echosounders, AUVs, and integrated bridge systems, competing with applied acoustics in USBL positioning and hydroacoustic instruments.
• Teledyne Marine: Division of Teledyne Technologies offering acoustic positioning, sonar, subsea imaging, and oceanographic instrumentation. Competes in USBL, acoustic releases, and hydroacoustic survey products as part of a wide marine electronics portfolio.
• NORBIT: Norwegian-headquartered supplier of compact multibeam sonars, GNSS receivers, and subsea sensors. Competes in shallow-water hydrographic survey instrumentation and submersible GNSS segments that overlap with Easytrak and MiniPod product lines.

Emerging players

• Tritech (Moog Inc.): UK-headquartered manufacturer of sonar and acoustic instruments for ROVs and AUVs, owned by Moog Inc. Adjacent competitor in the underwater acoustic sensing space used with subsea vehicles that applied acoustics' USBL systems track.
• SonarMite (Echologger): Manufacturer of portable single-beam echosounders and acoustic instruments for shallow-water hydrographic and environmental surveys. Overlaps with applied acoustics' geophysical survey and positioning offerings for smaller-scale survey applications.

Others

• Ashtead Technology: Global subsea equipment rental provider that offers applied acoustics' Pyxis INS + USBL in its rental fleet. Functions as both a channel partner and adjacent ecosystem participant in the subsea survey supply chain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/applied-acoustics

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

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 applied acoustics