Open AccessA Comparison of an Unmanned Survey Vessel to Manned Vessels for Nearshore Tidal Current and Transport Measurements
Author(s) -
Eddie Weeks,
Chunyan Li,
Harry H. Roberts,
Richard F. Shaw,
Nan D. Walker
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
marine technology society journal/marine technology society journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.23
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1948-1209
pISSN - 0025-3324
DOI - 10.4031/mtsj.45.5.7
Subject(s) - bathymetry , sonar , marine engineering , side scan sonar , current (fluid) , oceanography , submarine pipeline , geology , seabed , shore , chirp , waves and shallow water , ocean current , echo sounding , remote sensing , submarine , environmental science , engineering , laser , physics , optics
The focus of marine autonomous vehicles has largely been for offshore applications. The use of such observational platforms in estuaries and coastal embayments has been limited by the designs of the widely used AUVs, which are mostly for open ocean studies. Here we discuss the development and testing of an automated unmanned boat for shallow water use for (1) current velocities using an acoustic Doppler current profiler, (2) bathymetry using an echo sounder, (3) seabed configuration using a side-scan sonar, or (4) shallow, sub-bottom stratigraphy using a chirp sonar. After 91 h and 453 km of total distance surveyed, results demonstrate the numerous advantages this automated boat (Auto-boat) possesses over manned survey vessels. For example, the Auto-boat had the advantage in the accuracy of repeating a planned route continuously over at least a tidal cycle to resolve tidal and subtidal current velocity profiles. It provides endurance, energy efficiency, ease of operation, and capability of coverage of shallow areas close to shore.