GPS World

Tag: water depth

  • Leica lidar sensor improves bathymetric lidar surveys

    Leica lidar sensor improves bathymetric lidar surveys

    Image: Leica Geosystems
    Image: Leica Geosystems

    The new Leica Chiroptera-5 is a high-performance airborne bathymetric lidar sensor for coastal and inland water surveys.

    Offered by Leica Geosystems, Chiroptera-5 provides 40% higher point density, a 20% increase in water-depth penetration, and improved topographic sensitivity for generating more detailed hydrographic maps.

    The technology increases the depth penetration, point density and topographic sensitivity of the sensor compared to previous generations. It delivers high-resolution lidar data supporting applications such as nautical charting, coastal infrastructure planning, environmental monitoring and landslide and erosion risk assessments.

    Chiroptera-5 combines airborne bathymetric and topographic lidar sensors with a four-band camera to collect seamless data from the seabed to land. With a higher pulse repetition frequency (PRF), the new technology increases point density by 40% compared to the previous generation system, collecting more data during every survey flight.

    Improved electronics and optics increase water-depth penetration by 20% and double the hydrographic sensitivity to capture larger areas of submerged terrain and objects with greater detail. The high-performance sensor is designed to fit a stabilizing mount, enabling more efficient area coverage, which decreases operational costs and carbon footprint of mapping projects.

    Leica Geosystems’ signature bathymetric workflow supports the sensor’s performance. Introducing near real-time data processing enables coverage analysis immediately after landing, allowing operators to quality control the data quickly before demobilizing the system.

    The Leica Lidar Survey Studio (LSS) processing suite provides full waveform analysis and offers automatic calibration, refraction correction and data classification, as well as advanced turbid water enhancement.

    Supporting environmental research

    Combining superior resolution, depth penetration and topographic sensitivity, Chiroptera-5 provides substantial benefits for various environmental applications such as shoreline erosion monitoring, flood simulation and prevention, and benthic habitat classification.

    Bundled with the FAAS/EASA-certified helicopter pod, the system enables advanced terrain-following flying paths for efficient river mapping and complex coastlines surveys. Owners of previous-generation systems are offered an easy upgrade path to Chiroptera-5 to add capabilities to their existing sensor and leverage their initial investment.

    “The first-generation Chiroptera airborne sensor was flown in 2012. During its 10 years of operation, the system has seen constant evolution that continuously improved the productivity and efficiency of the entire bathymetric surveying industry,” said Anders Ekelund, vice president of airborne bathymetry at Hexagon. “By collecting detailed data of coastal areas and inland waters, Chiroptera-5 provides an invaluable source of information that supports better decision making, especially for environmental monitoring and management, in line with Hexagon’s commitment to a more sustainable future.”

  • Fugro delivers seabed geodata, employs wind lidar buoys

    Fugro delivers seabed geodata, employs wind lidar buoys

    Fugro has completed a geotechnical site characterization project for DRA Global as part of the proposed expansion of the port of Richards Bay in South Africa.

    Fugro’s self-elevating platforms being positioned in Richards Bay ready for their geotechnical site characterization for the planned port expansion. (Photo: Fugro)
    Fugro’s self-elevating platforms being positioned in Richards Bay ready for their geotechnical site characterization for the planned port expansion. (Photo: Fugro)

    DRA Global contracted Fugro to acquire critical seabed geodata required for the completion of preliminary engineering and design works. The project began with a cross-continental mobilization of marine assets from Bangladesh and UAE to Richards Bay and was safely delivered despite challenging ground conditions and ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.

    The very soft soils encountered at depths of more than 40 meters below the seafloor required an innovative solution for positioning the two geotechnical drill rigs safely, so Fugro mobilized two bespoke modular self-elevating platforms (SEPs) to acquire high-quality geodata in a wide range of water depths. Their experienced staff, combined with adaptable marine assets and tooling, enabled Fugro to deliver DRA Global’s requirements in full and avoid any data gaps that could have led to an over-engineered design and ultimately higher construction costs.

    “Fugro performed well under difficult circumstances, including challenging site conditions and intense focus on environmental management in sensitive areas, all while working in an operational port,” said Cobus Rossouw, principal marine engineer at DRA Global. “Their robust safety management systems resulted in an investigation completed without a single lost-time incident.”

    Energinet contract for wind lidar measurements

    Fugro’s Seawatch lidar buoys will record continuous wind measurements to support wind-resource mapping for Denmark’s Energy Island development. (Photo: Fugro)
    Fugro’s Seawatch lidar buoys will record continuous wind measurements to support wind-resource mapping for Denmark’s Energy Island development. (Photo: Fugro)

    Fugro has secured a contract with Energinet to provide floating wind lidar measurements for what an offshore artificial energy island, which is being constructed for the Danish Government.

    Fugro will install and operate four SEAWATCH wind lidar buoys at two locations, Energioe Nordsoen and Energioe Baltic, that will act as hubs connecting several offshore wind farms.

    Starting this month October, the buoys will record continuous wind measurements for a minimum of one year to support wind-resource mapping for the two islands, and the engineering and design of the future wind farms. Fugro is already performing geophysical surveys for the Energy Island project under a separate contract to provide Energinet with a reliable de-risked site interpretation.

    The SEAWATCH wind lidar buoy can record wind measurements up to 250 meters above sea level, and wave measurements and current profiles down to the seabed. The buoy also acts as a multipurpose platform for additional metocean sensors and, on this project, will be fitted with sensors to capture geodata on environmental impact parameters.

    Contract for erosion off Indian coast

    OCS Services Pvt. Ltd (OCS), one of India’s marine service providers, has awarded Fugro a two-year contract to support its asset integrity and corrosion management operations off the west coast of India.

    Fugro will help OCS deliver on ONGC’s Protective Coating of Process Platform Project 1, an infrastructure project to maintain and refurbish 32 offshore platforms in seven clusters. The project is expected to be completed by May 2023.