Manatee biz takes lead in underwater beacons

MANATEE COUNTY — Dukane Seacom, a Manatee County-based manufacturer, created a new underwater locator beacon that will comply with updated federal rules for military and commercial aircrafts.

The beacon, according to a release, will be certified for 90 days, which follows new federal requirements that begin Dec. 1. Previous batteries lasted 30 days. The new product offers a seven-year batter replacement cycle, the firm says, and it also better aligns with recorder and aircraft maintenance cycles.

“We are pleased to establish the new operational standard in underwater locator beacon technology with our 90-day ULB,” Dukane Seacom President Anish Patel says in the statement. “It will give search teams the additional time they need to perform their functions.”

A subsidiary of Hollywood-based Heico Corp., Dukane Seacom supplies underwater acoustic locator beacons for the aviation and marine markets. Its beacons are installed on commercial and business jet aircraft fleets, military fixed wing and rotary aircraft and maritime and specialty underwater applications. The company has installed more than 50,000 underwater locator beacons.