EXCLUSIVE: Interview with HYPACK’s Chief Operations Officer

In the following interview, Mr. Harold Orlinsky, Chief Operations Officer of HYPACK, which is one of the most successful providers of hydrographic and navigation software worldwide, explains the company’s latest achievements, business plans and future goals.

What can you tell us about the company’s 2013 business results, reached goals, accomplished tasks?

Last year, HYPACK had another successful year, with continued growth of its three product lines – HYPACK®, HYSWEEP® and DREDGEPACK®. In February, 2013, we released our annual update, version HYPACK2013, to all our users.

Improvements of our software continued throughout the year, with new sonar interfaces and additional processing capabilities, meeting our client expectations of a provider for data acquisition and processing software. Our DREDGEPACK® line included a simplified crane box hardware solution, improved graphics to the survey window and new sensor interfaces used onboard dredges.

Our international network continues to expand, with agents and resellers in over 50 countries. Additionally, we have been working with OEMs and manufactures to streamline the HYPACK software with their products. This is a great approach to integrating sensors used by our clients, to ensure the sensor is fully functional within our software.

How was 2014 so far for Hypack?

2014 has started off very well. Our HYPACK 2014 version was released on April 2nd, with updated features to just many of the programs. We introduced new tools, including – Final Product Wizard, MAGEDIT and Automated ENC Download, along with updates throughout HYPACK. In January, we held our annual conference in Mobile, and gave the audience a preview of the changes to the software.

One of our goals is to ensure our client’s problems are quickly resolved. We have included in HYPACK an easy way to access TeamViewer, an on-line remote support. Our support group can log onto anyone’s computer around the world, assess the problem, and install a fix. We try to minimize any downtime as much as possible, and these log in sessions do a very nice job.

In a combination of what the user requests and how to handle the changing technology in the market, our development team has done some amazing work in the programs in HYPACK®. Our multibeam processing tool – MBMAX64, makes handling larger surveys efficient and easy to process. Using 64-bit processors, multi-million points of data can be processed quickly, allowing the user to have a final product in hours, and not days. We also just added a water column logging feature to our HYSWEEP® software, as we had requests from our users to take advantage of this new data set.

Earlier this year, HYPACK completed the installation of DREDGEPACK® on the USACE hopper dredge, Essayon. With that, DREDGEPACK® is now installed on all USACE Hopper Dredges.

Our growth continues as well here at HYPACK. We recently hired two new employees, one to our development team, the other to our sales group.

What are your plans for the rest of 2014?

We anticipate seeing more sonars and systems on the market this year. HYPACK will continue to work with manufactures to ensure our interface to these sensors meet expectations. I look at this as a benefit to all HYPACK users. Our policy at HYPACK is to allow any of our users’ access to these new drivers once they are completed.

HYPACK will soon release a new construction module, to handle multiple positions and provide the visual display needed during the placement of material. We are working with a few companies to see exactly what their needs are for this product, and will design the tool with their feedback. Our goal is to have this program released by late spring.

To show off the software even more, HYPACK will be conducting over 20 training seminars worldwide, hosted by our agents and resellers. This is a great (and inexpensive) way to see HYPACK, and ask questions about the software.

You’ll get three days of training by one of our staff members and most likely will come away by saying “I didn’t know you could do that?” As a single program that can do most sensor acquisition and processing, there are tools in HYPACK that can be used by everyone.

HYPACK was recently selected for the Kishon River Restoration Project. Can you tell us more about this project?

The Israeli Environmental Protection Minister launched an IMS Versi Dredge outfitted with DREDGEPACK for the work. The project is to last several months for the removal of the pollution in the Kishon River. In all, about 400,000 cubic yards of material will be removed. Using the on-screen displays in DREDGEPACK®, the dredge operator will be able to monitor the amount of material removed, provide a record of areas that have been dredged and highlight areas that require additional work.

We would like to know more about you cooperation with Marine Magnetics?

HYPACK and Marine Magnetics entered into a joint cooperation to provide a complete solution for magnetometer surveys, to provide a solution to better acquire and process the magnetometer data. The interface for magnetometer data collection has been expanded and data collected can be run through the MAGEDIT program. MAGEDIT was designed to allow surveyors to make adjustments to both ship and shore-based magnetometers, using the IGRF Model.

The collaboration between HYPACK, Inc. and Marine Magnetics promises to deliver excellent results and mutual benefits. HYPACK benefits from Marine Magnetics’ extensive experience and track record as world leader in magnetic survey technology, while providing our customers a complete magnetometer survey solution.

PROGROUPE recently announced that they equipped “DredgeKing” dredging machine from Senwatec with Dredgepack®. Can you provide us with more info regarding this?

This project, started in 2013 is for the removal and processing of riverbed sediments from the Gabcikovo Water Dam. These sediments from the Danube River collected in the reservoir, which can impact ground water levels to major sources of water in the area. The DREDGEPACK® software was installed to monitor the dredging activity. On board the dredge is a GPS, Inclinometers and heading sensor, all integrated into DREDGEPACK®, to provide the dredge operator a real time display.

Which markets are currently in the focus of Hypack, and do you have plans to expand your business areas?

HYPACK works through the hydrographic and dredging industry, with more than 8,000 licenses in use around the world today. With interfaces to most sonar systems and sensors on the market today, HYPACK is easily adaptable to meet our clients’ requirements. The dredge market is expanding tremendously, and our work here is to keep up with the requirements that the client needs to meet on their job.

We are developing tools for use in the construction market, on the hydrographic side, to help our clients with that work. We also see the use of laser and lidar systems increasing, and have added to our HYSWEEP® program additional interfaces to these sensors. And finally, we see an expansion in the AUV market, and have tools in place to handle data sets from these vehicles.

What can you tell us about the Hypack’s current projects?

Our development team is always adding new features to the software to improve our processing for larger data sets, add better visualization tools (a recent development is our real time 3D CLOUD in survey for HYSWEEP®). Our work with sonar manufactures allow us to continue to add those products that are new to the hydrographic field and provide a complete solution for our clients.

HYPACK will soon release a tool for better visualization during survey and dredge operations. Currently, our survey displays are only seen by the surveyor or dredge operator. This new tool will allow for any of the survey windows to be shared on tablets and remote displays – allowing anyone to see the progress of the work. You will be able to watch the dredge progress from your smart phone while sitting at your desk. Being inside during the hot summer will be nice for you, though you still need someone out on the boat – we haven’t gotten that far yet.

Of course, try not to mention how nice the air conditioner worked when the surveyor comes back to the office.

As a closing note; In January, 2015, we will be hosting our annual conference in San Antonio, Texas. This is an opportunity to see our latest programs (HYPACK 2015), and meet all the folks behind the company.

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Dredging Today Staff, May 21, 2014