GPS World

Tag: marine survey

  • CHC Navigation releases Apache 6 USV for high-resolution marine surveying

    CHC Navigation releases Apache 6 USV for high-resolution marine surveying

    CHC Navigation (CHCNAV) has released the Apache 6–2026 Edition, an integrated unmanned surface vessel (USV) designed for high-resolution bathymetric and 3D mapping applications. Built to accommodate NORBIT multibeam echosounders, the Apache 6 delivers a comprehensive solution for underwater surveying, object positioning, and offshore construction support in varying aquatic conditions.

    The Apache 6 – 2026 Edition is optimized for seamless integration with the NORBIT iWBMS and WINGHEAD series of multibeam echosounders. An optional NORBIT iLiDAR can also be integrated, allowing for the simultaneous collection of marine and terrestrial 3D data in a single pass. This capability is particularly efficient for projects that require mapping both underwater topography and overhead structures, such as bridges and power lines, making it a comprehensive tool for harbor, river and infrastructure surveys.

    Automated Sound Velocity Profiling
    Accurate sound velocity measurement is fundamental to high-quality bathymetric data. The Apache 6 – 2026 Edition addresses this with an optional automated sound velocity profiler (SVP) kit. This system can be controlled directly from the remote controller, allowing the operator to perform SVP casts on-demand without interrupting the survey workflow. The kit is designed for rapid deployment — attachable or detachable in under a minute — ensuring that the multibeam echosounder data is continuously corrected with the most accurate sound speed information, which is critical for meeting stringent survey specifications.

    The USV combines a detachable triple-hull vessel design with smart rotating propeller technology to deliver both stability and agility in varied conditions. The robust hull configuration ensures reliable performance in strong currents, while removable side floats enable safe operations in shallow waters. Intelligent propeller control adjusts water flow direction to achieve a turning radius of approximately two meters, supporting effective navigation in confined or winding channels.

    Android-Based Control
    Survey operations are streamlined through an intelligent Android remote controller, which provides real-time access to vessel status and data without the need for a separate field computer.

    The interface allows for straightforward management of the survey workflow, while a multi-link communication system ensures reliable data transmission over long distances. This setup enables surveyors to maintain seamless control over the Apache 6 and monitor mission progress effectively from the shore.

  • SBG Systems releases Navsight inertial for marine surveys

    SBG Systems has released the Navsight marine solution, a full high-performance inertial navigation solution designed to make surveyors’ tasks easier in both shallow and deep water.

    Navsight consists of an inertial measurement unit available at two different performance levels (from shallow to deep water). According to SBG Systems, the Navsight marine solution is based on 10 years of the company’s experience in marine inertial sensing products.

    Whether the IMU comes with a surface or a subsea enclosure, they are all lightweight and easy to install, the company said. Navsight connects to any computer, with no software installation. Once connected through Ethernet, the web interface guides the user to configure the solution.

    A 3D view of the boat shows the entered parameters so that the user can check in real time the installation. Navsight allows quick installation and initialization thanks to new mechanical calibration module. The embedded filtering controls and validates lever arms and antenna alignment during this procedure.

    Navsight Marine Solution provides high-performance motion and navigation data as well as a real-time heave accurate to 5 cm, which automatically adjusts to the wave frequency, SBG Systems said.

    To allow surveying when wave frequencies are large or complex, Navsight comes with a delayed heave feature resulting in a heave accurate to up to 2-cm computed in real-time with a little delay.

    If higher performance is required, the surveyor can count on SBG INS/GNSS post-processing software named Qinertia. By processing inertial and GNSS raw data forward and backward, Qinertia greatly increases accuracy especially during GNSS outages; it also fixes set up mistakes.

    Highly versatile, Navsight comes as a Motion Reference Unit, providing roll, pitch and heave or as a full navigation solution with embedded tri-frequency GNSS receiver, or using an external one. Fusing inertial data with satellite position in real-time, Navsight INS offers continuous position in all conditions, such as surveying under a bridge, or during a GNSS outages due to coastal infrastructures (buildings, harbor cranes, etc.).

    The Navsight Marine Solution supports RTK and every precise point positioning service (Marinestar, TerraStar, etc.). It is compatible with the main hydrographic software such as Hypack, QINSy or Teledyne PDS for seamless integration into existing workflows.

    Navsight is ITAR-free. All models are available for order. Ordering information and delivery time are available from SBG Systems representatives and authorized SBG Systems dealers.

  • Fugro bathymetric maps support global initiative Seabed 2030

    Fugro is supporting NF-GEBCO Seabed 2030, a global initiative to produce a definitive, high-resolution bathymetric map of the entire world’s ocean floor by the year 2030.

    The initiative is being facilitated by the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) project in partnership with The Nippon Foundation as a means to inform global policy, improve sustainable use and advance scientific research.

    Less than 20 percent of the world’s oceans are mapped using modern survey techniques. Accurate seabed measurements (bathymetry) are important for numerous government, scientific and industry applications, according to Fugro.

    “As the world’s largest offshore survey company, Fugro is in a position to help close this data gap, and we are committed to doing our part through the Seabed 2030 project,” said David Millar, Fugro’s government accounts director in the Americas.

    One of the primary ways Fugro is supporting Seabed 2030 is through crowdsourced bathymetry data contributions.

    In 2017 the company devised a methodology for collecting valuable high-resolution bathymetry datasets while its vessels are transiting between survey projects. The approach is made possible through Fugro’s Office Assisted Remote Services (OARS), its proprietary technology that enables safe and efficient data acquisition without the need for dedicated survey staff on board.

    In this way, valuable data can be collected from transiting vessels with minimal effect on Fugro’s standard operating procedures.

    In 2017, Fugro deployed its in-transit data collection methodology on two survey vessels, delivering approximately 65,000 square kilometers of crowdsourced bathymetry data to GEBCO.

    The company has recently expanded that collection capacity to include four survey vessels and intends eventually to incorporate the approach across its entire global survey fleet to make an increasingly significant impact on the Seabed 2030 program.

    “Fugro has displayed exemplary corporate leadership by sharing transit data from two of its survey vessels,” acknowledged Seabed 2030 Project Director Satinder Bindra. “In the coming months we look forward to receiving more transit data from all its survey vessels, which we believe will serve as a shining example to others in the industry and play an important role in helping us map the entire ocean floor for the benefit of humanity by 2030.”

    Along with its own data contributions, Fugro is working with its clients to investigate how their datasets (existing and planned) may be incorporated into the Seabed 2030 program. In some instances, data sharing is straightforward, but in many others, datasets contain sensitive information.

    Reducing the data resolution to a suitable degree and delaying the release of datasets until an acceptable amount of time has passed can mitigate these sensitivities and ensure the integrity of client-owned data.

    The company is also helping to establish a workflow for integrating third-party datasets into the overall Seabed 2030 project database. The workflow will address such things as data formats and metadata standards, with the goal of simplifying and accelerating the rate of crowdsourced contributions and data sharing arrangements.

    “We are proud to continue our support of the Seabed 2030 programme and to lead industry participation in this way,” Millar said. “As an appreciable portion of our work is ocean related, Seabed 2030 provides a perfect opportunity for us to contribute to global society and practice good ocean stewardship.”

  • Are drones the future of marine surveying?

    Are drones the future of marine surveying?

    Drones are quickly becoming a staple of the maritime industry. In January, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) issued the largest ever civilian maritime drone contact, valued at €67 million.

    Under the contract, drones will be used to assist with border control, search-and-rescue operations and monitoring of pollution, as well as the detection of illegal fishing and drug and people trafficking.

    External Vessel Inspections. Big names in the maritime industry such as DNV-GL, Lloyds Register and Maersk have all shown strategic intent to revolutionize their operations by embracing drone technology, and many maritime operators are now following suit.

    All ship owners know that traditional methods of external vessel inspection can be a costly affair. Now that high-definition, camera-equipped drones are widely available and affordable, it is becoming more common to use them for external vessel inspections to assess structural conditions. Identifying substantial corrosion, significant deformation, fractures, damage or other structural deterioration can be done quickly, easily and cost-effectively using drones.

    Tank Inspections. The visual inspection of cargo tanks was traditionally performed by workers suspended on ropes to inspect the tank structure. The sheer size of modern-day vessels means that access methods including staging, rafting and climbing are often used by surveyors to access tanks.

    In contrast, drone surveys require no human access to the tank and, since no access equipment is required, there are no setup costs, and inspections can be completed within a quicker timeframe.

    Martek Marine’s V-200 UAS. (Photo: Martek Marine)

    Bathymetric Surveys. Accurate and reliable information on the features of water bodies and their shorelines is vital to navigational safety. Bathymetric surveys gather the information, which is then published for use on nautical charts. Rather than using a fixed-wing airplane or helicopter, bathymetric sensors developed for drones allow this type of survey to be carried out flexibly and at a fraction of the cost.

    To operate effectively in the harsh maritime environment, the technology has been developed to withstand storm force wind and heavy rain, snow and salt spray.

    As technology advances, so does the flight time available on drones, meaning more area can be covered in a quicker timeframe.

    Floating Flare-Tip Inspections. Drone surveys typically exist to provide close visual and thermal inspections of high, live or difficult to access structures offshore, and there’s nothing more challenging to access than a flare tip, 70 meters above water, on a floating production facility.

    Drone survey inspections for flare tips remove the need for a shutdown to inspect the flare and offer reduced costs compared to aerial surveys carried out by helicopter or plane.

    Offshore Wind Energy. The wind energy sector is growing fast. Storm force winds, erosion, lightning strikes and even build-up of insects can have an impact on turbines, and blades need to be inspected for deterioration. Inspectors have traditionally had to scale the turbines with the help of ropes and cables.

    The maritime surveying company Martek Marine uses a drone fleet designed for turbine-blade inspections onshore or offshore. Qualified and trained pilots quickly and accurately identify and assess faults.

    Traditional surveying requires turbines to be offline for two hours up to a day, but Martek’s inspection process reduces this time to 45 minutes.

    Following the inspection, the client can access the data through Martek’s secure, cloud-based asset management portal where they can download a detailed PDF report and access raw survey data.

    Fully Autonomous Drones? Fully autonomous drones could be the next big thing for maritime surveying. The drones can be pre-loaded with a 3D model of the ship. This allows the drone to autonomously work its way around the vessel, stopping at points of interest to obtain detailed video or image data.

    Advancing this further, a drone could be designed to create its own 3D map of the vessel before carrying out the survey independently.

    This article is excerpted from a blog by Martek Marine, a UK-based maritime surveying company. Read the full blog, with more details and examples.

  • Hemisphere debuts next-generation S321+ and C321+ GNSS smart antennas

    At Intergeo 2017, Hemisphere GNSS released its next-generation multi-frequency, multi-GNSS S321+ and C321+ GNSS smart antennas.

    The S321+ and C321+ are upgrades to the previous versions S321 and C321 and offer added benefits, according to the company. Powered by the Eclipse P326 OEM board, the smart antennas support 394 channels and can simultaneously track all satellite signals including GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo and QZSS, making them robust and reliable.

    S321+ and C321+ come standard with two long-life lithium batteries providing up to 12 hours of operation. The batteries are hot-swappable, so users can change them without stopping work, maximizing efficiency and return on investment.

    The S321+ and C321+ GNSS smart antennas are being featured at the Hemisphere GNSS booth in Hall 2.1/stand C2.008 at Intergeo 2017 in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 26-28.

    The S321+ and C321+ combine Hemisphere’s Athena GNSS engine and Atlas L-band correction technologies with a new webUI, offering an unparalleled level of customer-friendly performance. The ruggedized antennas are designed for challenging environments; both meet IP67-standard requirements.

    The S321+ and C321+ come in two versions, with 4G LTE optimized for either North American or international locations.

    Powered by Athena GNSS engine, the S321+ and C321+ provide best-in-class, centimeter-level RTK. Athena excels in virtually every environment where high-accuracy GNSS receivers can be used. Tested and proven, Athena’s performs with long baselines in open-sky environments under heavy canopy, and in geographic locations experiencing significant scintillation.

    “The S321+ and C321+ represent the advanced technology, durability, and ease of use that our customers have come to expect,” said Miles Ware, director of marketing at Hemisphere GNSS. “By upgrading these systems with increased functionality and management capabilities, we are offering unbeatable value to the industry.”

    Atlas GNSS Global Corrections.     The S321+ and C321+ ship pre-configured to test-drive corrections from Hemisphere’s Atlas L-band correction service. The bundled solution provides users worldwide with an easy way to utilize Atlas, including Hemisphere’s Atlas H10 service offering 8 cm 95 percent accuracy (4 cm RMS). They also use Hemisphere’s aRTK technology, powered by Atlas, which allows the receivers to operate with RTK accuracies when RTK corrections fail. If the S321+ and C321+ are Atlas-subscribed, they will continue to operate at the subscribed service level until RTK is restored.

    The S321+ is designed for use in applications such as land or marine survey, GIS, mapping, and construction. Together with SureFix, Hemisphere’s advanced processor, the S321+ delivers high-fidelity RTK quality information that results in guaranteed precision with virtually 100% reliability.

    The C321+ was designed specifically for construction environments, adding another system component that empowers heavy equipment manufacturers to deliver their own machine control and guidance solutions to their customers. The C321+ can also be paired with Hemisphere’s recently announced SiteMetrix site management software platform that helps manage all of your construction jobsite activities, including grade and volume checking.

  • Harxon introduces all-constellation GNSS antenna for surveying and mapping

    Harxon introduces all-constellation GNSS antenna for surveying and mapping

    Harxon has released the all-constellation GNSS antenna GPS1000, receiving GPS L1/L2/L5, BDS B1/B2/B3, GLONASS L1/L2, Galileo E1/E2/E5a/E5b and L-band signals.

    GPS1000 can be used in land survey, marine survey, channel survey, seismic monitoring, bridge survey and agriculture applications, providing consistent performance across the full bandwidth, the company said.

    The antenna has high gain and wide beam width to ensure the signal receiving performance of satellite at the low elevation angle, and the phase center remains constant as the azimuth and elevation angle of the satellites change.

    Placement and installation of the antenna can be completed with ease because the signal reception is unaffected by the rotation of the antenna or satellite elevation. The influence of measurement error can be minimized via the multi-feed design and embedded multipath rejection board.

    The GPS1000 waterproof and dustproof design has reached a standard of IP67, maintaining good performance for long-time outdoor operation.

    Moreover, the advanced low noise amplifier can reduce jamming by high-power out-of-band transmitters. It can be customized for the best solution for customers, Harxon said.