For many years, the only acoustic release systems available for deep-sea missions were either stainless steel heavy-duty 1000kg release load or aluminium shallow water 30kg release load. There was nothing in between.
Which is why K.U.M. developed KUMQuat. It is a lightweight, deep-sea, corrosion resistant, acoustically controlled releaser that can not only be used with K.U.M. equipment but also by developers in the wider global market.
KUMQuat comes in two versions – lightweight and heavy load. Both can be used either in-line (inside of a rope, wire, chain), where buoyancy is attached to the rope above and weights are attached to a rope below (conventional mooring), or as a part of an instrument where the ground weight is attached below (OBS or lander). Both are entirely built from titanium and are certified to operate at depths of up to 10,000m depending on customer requirements.
The release mechanism is controlled either via an external acoustic signal or through an integrated timer. Furthermore, KUMQuat offers the advantage of three additional output lines. When combined with an input line this allows for the remote control or status check of other instruments via its acoustic receiver.
