Doppler Velocity Log(DVL) Series
Oceantek DVL is high-performance Doppler Velocity Log designed for underwater navigation and velocity measurement. We supplie 600kHz and 300kHz models to fit different underwater depths and operational requirements for subsea vehicles and marine equipment such as AUV,ROV and underwater robot.
What to Check Before Buying a DVL
These are the four specs that determine whether a DVL will work for your vehicle — or fail in the field:
- Maximum altitude (bottom-lock range): This is No.1, If your AUV operates at 150m depth and the DVL loses bottom-lock at 100m, you have a navigation failure. Choose a DVL rated for at least 20% more than your maximum operating depth. Oceantek’s 300 kHz DVL maintains lock to 200m+; the 600 kHz models are optimized for 50–80m.
- Velocity accuracy: DVL accuracy is typically ±0.2% to ±1% of measured speed. For survey-grade AUVs doing pipeline inspection or UXO detection, accuracy under ±0.5% is non-negotiable — the accumulated position error compounds every second.
- SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power): This is the dealbreaker for small vehicles. A piston-transducer DVL might weigh 5–8 kg in air. A phased-array DVL like the PA5 can weigh under 2 kg. If your AUV has a 20 kg payload budget, this difference matters.
- INS protocol compatibility: Most DVLs output NMEA, PD6 binary, or Ethernet telegrams. Your INS must accept the DVL’s format natively. Check this before purchasing — protocol mismatches are the No.1 cause of integration delays.
Our DVL Products
DVL-600K
High-frequency DVL optimized for shallow to medium underwater environments. It delivers stable velocity data with compact structure, ideal for small underwater vehicles and near-sea operations.
DVL-300K
Medium-frequency DVL with longer detection range and excellent penetration performance. It works reliably in deeper waters, perfect for medium and large subsea platforms.
DVL-600K(Phased Array)
Adopts planar phased array transducer, ultra compact & lightweight, specially customized for miniature unmanned underwater platforms with limited installation space.
Specifications Comparison
| Category | Specification | DVL-600-DR-FA4 | DVL-300-DR-FA4 | DVL-600-PA5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Info | Model | DVL-600-DR-FA4 | DVL-300-DR-FA4 | DVL-600-PA5 |
| Depth Rating | 1000m / 3000m / 6000m | |||
| Frequency | 600kHz | 300kHz | 600kHz | |
| Transducer Type | 4-beam Janus | 4-beam Janus | Planar Phased Array | |
| Bottom Tracking | Altitude Range | 0.7~110m | 1~220m | 0.7~110m |
| Accuracy | ±0.3%±3mm/s | ±0.5%±5mm/s | ±0.3%±3mm/s | |
| Velocity Resolution | 1mm/s | |||
| Water Track Altitude | ＞110m | ＞220m | ＞110m | |
| Beam & Output | Beam Angle | 20° | 20° | 30° |
| Beam Width | 3.5° | |||
| Output Rate | 2Hz | |||
| Altitude Measure | Altitude Resolution | 1mm | ||
| Altitude Accuracy | ±1%±0.5cm | |||
| Communication | Interface | RS-232 / RS-422 | ||
| Onboard Sensors | Temperature | -5~45℃, ±0.1℃ | ||
| Pressure | Custom depth rating, ±0.25%FS | |||
| Roll/Pitch | ±85°, ±0.2°RMS | |||
| Heading | 0~360°, ±0.8°RMS | |||
| Power | Supply Voltage | 20~50V | 20~50V | 10~26V |
| Avg Power | ≤10W | ≤10W | ≤5W | |
| Mechanical | Housing | Titanium Alloy | ||
| Weight (Air) | 3.5kg(1000m) 4.8kg(3000m) 5.7kg(6000m) | 5.3kg(1000m) 6.6kg(3000m) 7.7kg(6000m) | ≤1.8kg | |
| Dimension | Φ148×150~167mm | Φ224×158~161mm | Φ92×112mm | |
| Environment | Operating Temp | -5℃~45℃ | ||
| Storage Temp | -40℃~70℃ | |||
Applications
- 600kHz Standard DVL: Shallow water navigation, small ROV/AUV, nearshore subsea inspection, coastal underwater engineering
- 300kHz Standard DVL: Medium-depth underwater missions, large subsea vehicles, offshore engineering, long-range underwater cruising
- 600kHz Phased Array DVL: Micro AUV/mini ROV integration, compact subsea payload, portable underwater observation equipment, small-scale underwater robot development
- General Applications: Underwater positioning, real-time velocity feedback, subsea exploration, marine robotics navigation
How to Choose the Right DVL
Not all DVLs are interchangeable. The right choice depends on three factors: operating depth, vehicle size, and navigation accuracy requirements. Here is how to match a DVL to your application:
| If You Need… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Navigation for a small AUV/glider with limited payload space | DVL-600-PA5 (phased array) | 70% smaller transducer face. No moving parts. Weighs under 1.5 kg in water. |
| Shallow-water surveys under 110m with high update rates | DVL-600-FA4 | 600 kHz gives fine velocity resolution. Max altitude ~80m. Industry-standard piston transducer. |
| Deep-water operations up to 200m altitude | DVL-300-FA4 | 300 kHz for longer range. Maintains bottom-lock at 200m+ in favorable conditions. |
DVL vs ADCP: They Solve Different Problems
A common misconception: “a DVL is just an ADCP pointed downward.” This is incorrect. While they share the same Doppler physics, they are engineered for fundamentally different missions:
| Specification | DVL | ADCP |
|---|---|---|
| Primary job | Tell the AUV/ROV its speed over ground | Measure water current velocity at every depth |
| Key spec | Bottom-track altitude + velocity accuracy | Water-profiling range + depth cell resolution |
| Output | 3-axis velocity vector + altitude | Velocity profile (50–200 depth layers) |
| Integration | Kalman-fused with INS for dead-reckoning navigation | Standalone or paired with GNSS for vessel surveys |
| User | Subsea vehicle navigator / robotics engineer | Hydrographer / oceanographer / hydrologist |
View Our Direct-Reading ADCP Series
ADCP-75k: range up to 1000m,specialized for deep water projects