Marine research lives or dies on data you can trust when conditions turn hostile and navigation sensors fail. GPS drops out in enclosed basins, DVL specifications rarely hold in real water, and lab-only results do not reflect how vessels behave in open sea.
From AUV navigation to full-scale basin maneuvering trials, Qualisys delivers precision ground truth above and below the waterline – so marine engineers validate algorithms, meet IMO standards, and publish with confidence.
Why Choose Qualisys
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The Only Underwater Optical Mocap System
No other provider tracks submerged objects with optical precision – vessels, AUVs, trawl doors, mooring lines, submerged appendages.
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Twin-system Tracking Above and Below the Waterline.
Synchronized above-water and underwater cameras deliver continuous 6DOF data in one coordinate frame on one clock – aligning seamlessly with DVL, INS, sonar, and hydrophones, no manual alignment required.
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Built for Immersion
Qualisys underwater cameras are purpose-built for full immersion, not adapted from above-water designs. Calibrated for optical refraction at the air–water interface, they deliver consistent accuracy at tank and basin depths.
One system – above and below the surface
Most motion capture stops at the surface. Qualisys doesn’t. By combining above-water and underwater cameras in a single synchronized setup – what we call the Twin System – you capture the full picture of how a vessel or structure behaves across both environments in one continuous measurement.
Above the waterline, IP67-rated Arqus cameras handle the harsh conditions of ocean basins and towing tanks without flinching. Below it, IP68-rated underwater cameras track free-running AUVs, mooring lines, trawl doors, and submerged structures down to 40 m depth. Both systems run in perfect sync, outputting combined 6DOF data in real time.
No stitching. No compromise. One capture, two worlds.
Track Scale Model Vessels with sub-millimeter precision
Tracking vessel motion under different wave, current, and wind conditions is a fundamental task at any hydrodynamics lab or naval test site. Scale model testing in towing tanks and ocean basins remains the industry standard for validating hull performance, seakeeping behavior, and maneuverability – and it demands measurement data you can trust.
Qualisys optical motion capture delivers exactly that: 1 mm position accuracy, 0.1° on rotation, full 6DOF tracking of surge, sway, heave, roll, pitch, and yaw – without wiring to the model. Multiple vessels can be tracked simultaneously, with real-time data streaming directly to MATLAB, LabVIEW, or your own application.
Built for the conditions of a working tank, IP67-rated cameras handle splash and humidity, fixed-camera calibration extends range beyond 100 m, and active and passive markers are both supported.
Meet IMO standards with confidence
IMO standards aren’t optional – and neither is the data behind them. Turning ability, stopping distance, course-keeping, zig-zag maneuvers: every criterion demands precise, repeatable measurement that holds up to scrutiny.
Qualisys delivers the full motion dataset needed for IMO certification testing, captured wirelessly so model movement is never disturbed. Data streams in real time and integrates directly with your analysis pipeline.
SINTEF Ocean – one of the world’s most respected hydrodynamics institutes and a key contributor to IMO standards – has run on Qualisys since 1995. Built around the demands of real marine testing, in the environment where the standards were being written. That’s a heritage no competitor can replicate