Key Things to Know
- The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) modernized the KVM and visual control systems aboard the RRS Sir David Attenborough, one of the world’s most advanced polar research vessels.
- Datapath’s Aetria platform now manages video and data across the ship’s distributed displays and videowalls.
- The deployment includes 11 Aetria Workstations, three VSN Series videowall controllers and a range of capture, encode and KVM-over-IP hardware.
- BAS commissioned initial hardware at its UK headquarters before installation, working around the vessel’s tight docking schedule.
- Midwich and Logicalis supported the purchase process.
- The system has already supported Antarctic science on its first outing, with the ship now on a second deployment deep into the ice.
What Is the RRS Sir David Attenborough?
The RRS Sir David Attenborough is a polar research vessel operated by the British Antarctic Survey. The ship supports scientific work in some of the planet’s most demanding environments and carries extensive onboard research facilities along with mission-critical operational systems.
As part of a planned technology refresh, BAS set out to modernize its KVM and visual control capabilities with a system that could integrate with the vessel’s distributed displays and videowalls.
Why Did BAS Choose Datapath’s Aetria Platform?
BAS chose Aetria for its configurability and display flexibility, which matched the scale and number of inputs required for advanced scientific operations.
Datapath joined the project early to evaluate requirements and confirm whether the platform could meet the vessel’s operational objectives. That work involved remote consultations, in-person meetings and demonstrations of the Aetria platform.
BAS then moved into a collaborative design phase with Datapath’s sales, pre-sales and network engineering teams to build a solution suited to the ship’s technical environment.
How Did BAS Manage Installation Around the Ship’s Schedule?
BAS worked around tight UK docking schedules by commissioning initial hardware at its headquarters before the vessel arrived. This let teams learn the system ahead of installation.
Midwich and Logicalis supported the purchase process, and BAS received training on how to commission Aetria.
The Datapath team then supported remotely as equipment moved onboard and installation was completed.
What Hardware Makes Up the Deployment?
Courtesy / Datapath
The deployment comprises 11 Aetria Workstations and three VSN Series videowall controller platforms that integrate video and data sources onto the vessel’s displays. Four VSN300 systems support operator-focused visualization. VSNMicro 600 systems run on decks 5 and 8, and a VSN V3 system runs on deck 3, providing greater expansion capacity and more 4K outputs for larger and more complex displays.
Across these platforms, the installation includes six Image4K graphics cards, 17 IQS4 IP video splitters, 12 VisionSC A2 capture cards and three ActiveSQX2 encode/decode cards. Two Aetria Network Managers with unlimited licensing run as a high-availability pair for redundancy. Aligo RX100 receivers and Aligo TX100 KVM-over-IP transmitters complete the installation, enabling centrally managed visual operations.
How Has the System Performed for BAS?
The system has performed reliably and proven easy to use in the field, according to BAS. “Datapath was extremely helpful with the installation and ensured everything was implemented to a high standard,” says Kinzie Orton, HPC Solution Architect for the British Antarctic Survey. “We’re extremely impressed with the Datapath equipment, and the feedback from users is that the system is robust and very easy to use. The system has already been used on its first outing to support Antarctic science, and the ship is now on its way deep into the Antarctic ice for its second deployment, where it will be used to control a variety of science systems.”
What Does Datapath Say About the Project?
Datapath describes the project as a close collaboration built on clear requirements from BAS.
“It was a pleasure working with the British Antarctic Survey team,” says Adam Marsden, sales manager at Datapath. “They had a very clear understanding of what they needed to achieve and communicated this effectively, enabling our pre-sales and networking teams to produce a design that delivered the desired outcome.”
Marsden continues, “Aetria was well suited to the RRS Sir David Attenborough due to its configurability and display flexibility, supporting the scale and number of inputs required for advanced scientific operations. All Datapath hardware was custom built to order at our UK headquarters, ready for installation. This flexibility we offer, combined with security, reliability, and ongoing support, allowed us to meet the requirements of this prestigious project.”
What Does This Mean for Antarctic Research?
The deployment gives BAS a centrally managed visual control system to support scientific operations in remote polar conditions.
As the RRS Sir David Attenborough continues its work in the Antarctic ice, the platform will control a range of science systems across the vessel.
The project shows how flexible KVM and videowall technology can support research in environments where reliability and system uptime carry direct operational weight.
