StarFish 990F XD

1 MHz CHIRP towed sidescan sonar with up to 35 m range per channel.

Towed sonar system · Reference SON-BP-STAR990

StarFish 990F XD sidescan sonar. Image: Blueprint Subsea.

System overview

990F XD combines high-resolution 1 MHz CHIRP sensing with a stable tri-fin towfish, tow cable and topside interface. Sonar data is displayed and logged with StarFish Scanline or documented third-party software.

System components

Tri-fin towfish
1 MHz CHIRP channels.
Topside interface / electronics
990
Sonar cable
20m or 50m

Applications

Shallow-water survey
Search and rescue
Seabed imaging

Key features

70 m maximum total swath from two channels.
0.3° horizontal beam width; 60° vertical beam.
50 m transducer depth rating.
Single-person deployment with full-length stabilising fins.

StarFish sonar data: a barge survey

Blueprint Subsea · Product family demonstration

Data recorded with a StarFish 990F. This family example does not demonstrate the specific performance of every StarFish model.

Loading the player connects to YouTube. Playback does not start automatically.

Technical details

Sonar

Frequency: 1MHz CHIRP
Operating Range: Up to 35m (115ft) / per channel
Horizontal Beam Width: 0.3°
Vertical Beam Width: 60°
Transducer Angle: Tilted Down 30° from Horizontal
Dimensions: 378mm x 97mm x 110mm
Weight (in Air): 2.0kg
Construction: Polyurethane Rubber
Colour: High-Vis Red
Depth Rating: 50m
Connector: Source discrepancy: website MCIL-5-FS; rev 9 datasheet MCIL-5-MP. Confirm mating gender and the complete cable assembly before purchase.

Cable

Length: 20m or 50m
Construction: Black polyurethane jacket with internal Kevlar reinforcing (strain) member
Connector: Impulse, 5-way (MCIL-5-FS)

Top Box

Model: 990
Supply Voltage: 90-264VAC, 47-63Hz or 9-28VDC
Power Consumption: 6W (500mA @ 12VDC)
Power Interface: 2.1mm DC jack socket
PC Interface: USB 2.0 B-Type connector
Sonar Interface: 6-Way Souriau “UTS” female socket
Dimensions: 166mm x 106mm x 34mm
Weight (in Air): 0.4kg
Temp. Range: -5°C to +40°C
IP Rating: IP50

Included equipment — towed-system manual rev 9

System equipment: Towfish with cable, top-box, universal AC/DC adapter and international plugs, fused cigar-plug DC lead, cigar-socket/crocodile-clip lead, USB A/B cable, Scanline software/driver USB drive, guides, reusable cable tie and sundries.
Advanced system option: Waterproof rigid transit case, USB GPS receiver and pole-mount bracket.
Host requirement: Windows-compatible computer with a free USB port; a suitable DC battery or protected AC outlet is required.
Tow cable limits: Manual lists breaking strain greater than 150 kg and minimum bend radius 30 mm. Confirm selected cable assembly.
Mechanical drawing note: The operating manual swaps width/height labels relative to the current datasheet. Use the approved dimensional drawing for mounting.

Configuration options

Tow-cable lengthIntegration

20 m and 50 m tow-cable lengths are listed. Confirm cable assembly and mating connectors.

Advanced system packageOptional equipment

The towed-system manual describes an advanced package with transit case, USB GPS receiver and pole-mounting bracket. Confirm current package contents.

Acoustic performance notice

Range is specified per channel; total swath is twice the per-channel range. The transducer depth rating does not apply to the topside box, whose IP50 enclosure provides no water-ingress protection. Maximum range and resolution depend on survey conditions and setup.

Variants & configurations

StarFish family
Compare current family members.

Datasheets & documentation

StarFish Datasheet
Model-specific values are defined in the manufacturer tables. Differences between the current website and this document are recorded on the relevant ROVITEC product pages.
View datasheet (PDF)Download PDF
StarFish Towed Sonar User Guide
Use this guide with the specified model and firmware. Manufacturer pages and revision identifiers are retained unchanged.
View manual (PDF)Download PDF

Software compatibility and support

StarFish Scanline
Windows x86 v2.1.2 is provided on the current support page. SDK available on request. The datasheet also lists Hypack 2009, SonarWiz.MAP / SonarWiz 5, SWATHVIEW and CleanSweep-Lite; confirm contemporary versions for your installation.

Product advice