Maritime unmanned systems (MUS) have gained widespread usage in a diverse range of hydrographic survey activities, including harbor/port surveys, beach and coastline monitoring, environmental assessment, and military operations. The present article explains a validated, rapid, and reliable technique for processing hydrographic data that was obtained via an autonomous hydrographic survey, and which was executed by a prototype unmanned surface vessel (USV) belonging to the Unmanned Survey Solutions (USS) corporation. The experimentation was part of the annual Multinational Exercise Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping that was augmented by Maritime Unmanned Systems 22 (REPMUS22), which was held in the national waters of Portugal. The main objective of this experimentation was to assess the underwater environment over an ocean beach for an amphibious landing exercise. Moreover, the integration of the multibeam system with the autonomous prototype vessel was assessed. A short comparison between the USV survey and a traditional vessel multibeam survey is presented, whereby the advantages of performing an autonomous survey operation near the coastline is emphasized. A correlation between a known multibeam processing technique and the dissemination of a rapid but consistent product for operational use is described, highlighting the applicability of the technique for the data collected from small experimental platforms. Moreover, this study outlines the relationship between the particular errors observed in autonomous small vehicles and in conventional data processing methods. The resultant cartographic outputs from the hydrographic survey are presented, emphasizing the specific inaccuracies within the raw data and the suitability of distinct hydrographic products for various user domains.
REP(MUS) 21 is an annual exercise jointly organised by the Portuguese Navy, the University of Porto, NATO’s Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE) and the NATO Maritime Unmanned Systems Initiative. The exercise gives Allies and NATO partners a chance to field and evaluate new maritime technologies. A Rapid Environmental Assessment warfare group was formed using Maritime Unmanned Systems to perform an environmental assessment of this area, by collecting data from the upper ocean region (0- 200 m.), sea surface, littoral shallow waters, and river estuary. Underwater Gliders were used in the REPMUS21 exercise, brought by several partners, to conduct environmental observations from the underwater domain of the exercise’s Joint Operations Area (JOA). This paper focuses on the use of SeaExplorer underwater gliders to collect oceanographic data during the exercise, and the operational impact of using this knowledge to compile the Recognized Environmental Picture of the exercise area.
This paper aims to provide the reader with the results of the Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) survey of the defensive historical naval minefields launched by the Romanian and German Navies on the Romanian Black Sea coast, during the Second World War. This UXO survey was carried out between 2015-2018 by the Romanian Navy’s hydrographic ship “Commander Alexandru Cătuneanu” and Romanian Mine Warfare Data Center, using towed side-scan sonar technology and oceanographic observations. After explaining the materials and methodology, the results are presented and discussed: mosaics of the minefields, side-scan images of UXO contacts, side-scan images of the wrecks that were sunk in the minefields and some visible natural geological features of the seafloor. It was concluded that most of the objects discovered are sinkers, wreck debris or parts of chains, which does not represent a danger to navigation.
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