<\/span><\/p>\n Seafloor mapping data collected by advanced sonar systems are in high demand for various national priorities, like those outlined in the National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization (NOMEC)<\/strong> strategy. <\/span><\/p>\n As hydrographic surveying technology advances, including the development of new tools<\/strong> which go beyond traditional, ship-based methods, the hydrographic community can benefit from clear, rigorous information about the capabilities and performance of these systems.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n COMIT is working to gather and evaluate such data by testing different sensor and uncrewed system (UxS) combinations<\/strong> to improve mapping accuracy <\/span>and efficiency. While the direct technical improvements to these systems will likely come from specialized manufacturers, COMIT aims to bridge <\/span>the gap by <\/span>partnering with different industrial groups<\/strong> to better facilitate the <\/span>practical implementation<\/strong> of these advancements. This involves coordinated testing using regional testbeds and leveraging the expertise of researchers familiar with the equipment and its operational needs.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Some of the current projects related to this theme are summarized below:<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.25.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.marine.usf.edu\/comit\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/comit-uncrewed-systems-glider-scaled.jpg” title_text=”comit-uncrewed-systems-glider” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” module_alignment=”right” max_height=”250px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”10px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Oceanic glider aboard a marine research vessel<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.marine.usf.edu\/comit\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/comit-trevor-usv-uncrewed.jpg” title_text=”comit-trevor-usv-uncrewed” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”center” align_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” max_height=”250px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”10px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n COMIT USV TREVOR – Test Robotics Environment Vehicle for Ocean Research<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.25.1″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”100%” max_width_tablet=”80%” max_width_phone=”80%” max_width_last_edited=”on|tablet” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_toggle title=”Testbeds for Multibeam Systems” open_toggle_text_color=”#000000″ open_toggle_background_color=”rgba(93,210,216,0.46)” closed_toggle_background_color=”rgba(93,210,216,0.46)” open_icon_color=”#000000″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” title_text_color=”#000000″ title_level=”h2″ body_line_height=”1.8em” background_color=”#EDF000″ inline_fonts=”Lato” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The West Florida shelf<\/strong> provides a diverse environment for assessing different systems and sensors<\/strong>. COMIT\u2019s field missions in 2020-2022 focused on the very nearshore environments, and as of last year (2023) we have expanded the domain to investigate testbeds further offshore.<\/span><\/p>\n In September 2023, we conducted a cruise in the eastern Gulf of Mexico to investigate some operational considerations for establishing a network of test beds<\/strong>. In total, the cruise visited seven stations and accomplished a variety of research activities such as: collecting high-resolution bathymetry for a spar buoy deployment, testing glider-based calibrated echosounder backscatter data, and testing glider-based sound speed profile data.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We have made significant progress selecting a backscatter calibration site<\/strong> which would be a first for the region.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Map of Fall 2023 COMIT Cruise stations<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_toggle][et_pb_divider divider_weight=”3px” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_toggle title=”Repurposing Legacy Data” open_toggle_text_color=”#000000″ open_toggle_background_color=”rgba(249,214,137,0.51)” closed_toggle_background_color=”rgba(249,214,137,0.51)” icon_color=”#000000″ open_icon_color=”#000000″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” title_text_color=”#000000″ title_level=”h2″ inline_fonts=”Alatsi,Lato” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Autonomous underwater gliders<\/strong> employ wings and a tail fin to generate up and down movement through the water column and collect data over days to weeks<\/strong>. These platforms typically carry a CTD, a GPS for positioning during surfacing, a compass for attitude and heading, and an altimeter for bottom detection. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n With these sensors, it is possible to obtain geo-located water depth readings of opportunity.\u00a0 The altimeter has benthic applications as it can be paired with glider depth to determine seafloor depth. Though interpolation of one to many collection(s) of mission data points, we can derive coarse bathymetry maps<\/strong> by pairing glider depth and altimeter height above bottom.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Leveraging past data sets from the USF glider fleet, preliminary efforts show that large-scale features (>100m) are well-resolved.<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n Two areas in the eastern Gulf of Mexico <\/span>have been selected as test cases for developing a technique for this application to ascertain effectiveness. An example is provided below (Figure) for a ridge feature at the ~65 m isobath on the West Florida Shelf (WFS), west of Tampa Bay, commonly known as \u201cThe Elbow\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Glider derived bathymetry is an opportunistic product and COMIT seeks to innovate and use these data to expand bathymetry collection given USF\u2019s glider fleet is out almost 365 days\/year and has had sustained operations for over the last 10 years<\/strong>. Areas with frequent mission flyover may yield high enough data density to resolve additional large-scale features yet to be mapped.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Preliminary map of glider-derived bathymetry for the Elbow on the WFS is shown on the left, <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_toggle][et_pb_divider divider_weight=”3px” _builder_version=”4.25.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_toggle title=”Sound Speed Profiles from Oceanic Gliders” open_toggle_text_color=”#000000″ open_toggle_background_color=”rgba(133,196,152,0.77)” closed_toggle_background_color=”rgba(133,196,152,0.77)” icon_color=”#000000″ open_icon_color=”#000000″ _builder_version=”4.25.1″ _module_preset=”default” title_text_color=”#000000″ title_level=”h2″ title_text_align=”left” inline_fonts=”Lato” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Surface vessels, whether crewed or uncrewed, are limited in the amount of sound speed (SSP) information<\/strong> they can collect. Yet these data are fundamental<\/strong> to generating multibeam echo sounder data products that meet increasingly exacting specifications required uses such as: benthic ecology, geohazard studies, and the identification of cultural and economic resources. Insufficient sound speed information can have profound impacts on data quality and usability.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This parameter often varies greatly in 3D space, <\/strong>but this is not yet well-characterized and understood<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Underwater profiling gliders<\/strong> are capable of continuous data acquisition for weeks to months<\/strong>, often in sea states that would restrict or prohibit most other platforms. <\/span>How these platforms can be leveraged to support uncrewed mapping<\/strong> operations<\/strong> is an active area of research at COMIT. <\/span><\/p>\n We are working to evaluate the role of oceanic gliders for SSP measurements in uncrewed surveys by quantifying their limitations and constraints. We’re also exploring the efficiencies and deficiencies in collecting water column data applied towards sonar applications.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Glider subsurface profiling and position fix details. Estimated position fixes of single casts <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_toggle][et_pb_divider divider_weight=”3px” _builder_version=”4.25.1″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||28px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_toggle title=”Uncrewed System Development” open_toggle_text_color=”#000000″ open_toggle_background_color=”rgba(186,188,128,0.77)” closed_toggle_background_color=”rgba(186,188,128,0.77)” icon_color=”#000000″ open_icon_color=”#000000″ _builder_version=”4.25.1″ _module_preset=”default” title_text_color=”#000000″ title_level=”h2″ title_text_align=”left” inline_fonts=”Lato” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n As our other projects and field experiments progress, they have highlighted the utility of uncrewed systems in highly populated, dynamic, coastal waters, as well as the challenges. The latter requires significant investment in software that is suitable to program, control, and monitor autonomous systems<\/strong> in such environments.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This meant that we needed a suitable platform to expand research, development, testing, and evaluation of advanced software for ocean mapping using uncrewed systems.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.marine.usf.edu\/comit\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/comit-uncrewed-systems-figure-1-1024x619.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.marine.usf.edu\/comit\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/comit-uncrewed-systems-figure-2-1024x678.png\")
<\/span><\/p>\n
while data collected from a high-resolution shipboard MBES is shown on the right. The glider data has
the advantage of covering much larger areas but relies on interpolation between glider tracks.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.marine.usf.edu\/comit\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/comit-uncrewed-systems-figure-3-1024x640.png\")
<\/span><\/p>\n
(yos) and merged cycles of profiles<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.marine.usf.edu\/comit\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/trevor-schematic-usv-breakdown.png\")
<\/p>\n