SubC Imaging Partnering with OceanGate on 2018 Titanic Expedition

OceanGate Inc., a provider of manned submersible services and SubC Imaging, a global leader in intelligent underwater imaging equipment, have formed a strategic alliance to capture the first 4K images of the RMS Titanic shipwreck and debris field. SubC Imaging cameras and lights will be installed on OceanGate's Cyclops2, the first manned submersible to survey the Titanic since 2005.

The six-week Titanic Survey Expedition will depart from St. John’s, Newfoundland in June 2018 with scientists, content experts, and mission specialists joining the crew in a series of week-long missions. The advanced SubC Imaging cameras and lights will be used throughout the expedition as the primary equipment for capturing images and video of the iconic wreck. The 4K images and videos will be used in tandem with laser and sonar scans to create a virtual 3D model of the wreck. This model will serve as an objective baseline to assess the decay of the wreck over time and help to document and preserve its submerged history. Following the expedition images and videos of the wreck will be made freely available for research and education.

“SubC Imaging has pioneered the way subsea images are collected and we couldn’t be happier about this alliance as we embark on our survey expedition”, said Stockton Rush, CEO of OceanGate. “With the first ever 4K images of Titanic we can share this wreck the world with a clarity that has never been seen before”.

Documenting the debris field and creating a nearly lifelike digital model without disrupting the habitat or any artifacts is of top priority to the OceanGate crew. "We recognize that the entire site is a memorial and we undertake our expedition with great respect for those who died in the sinking”, said Rush. The expedition is to be conducted in accordance with NOAA and UNESCO guidelines for the preservation of underwater world heritage sites.

“Our mission at SubC is to continuously innovate the most technologically advanced and capable video equipment for the offshore and subsea markets”, said Ron Collier, VP of Business Development, SubC Imaging. “The opportunity to work with OceanGate on this expedition fits perfectly with our goal of revolutionizing the way subsea imaging is conducted.” As part of the agreement, Cyclops 2 will carry one Rayfin 4K camera, one 1Cam MK6, Aquorea LED lights, and digital video recording and overlay media management software. SubC Imaging and OceanGate crews will work together to integrate, configure, and calibrate the equipment leading up to the expedition. The teams will start the first rounds of testing in Everett, WA as early as December 2017 followed by deep-sea validation and testing in March and April of 2018.