SPH Engineering, based in Riga, Latvia, has just announced a bathymetric drone solution.
The drone makes bathymetric surveys 10 times faster and 2 times more cost-efficient compared with a standard approach using a ship, a boat or an unmanned surface vehicle.
It is easy to transport deploy and has the ability to operate at hard to reach locations, unsafe or hazardous environment.
It is ideal for hard to reach locations (steep coasts, mining pits, shallow waters, terrain obstacles), as well as waters of ponds, lakes, and canals. No need for a wide point of entry to the water for deployment/recovery. Locations not reachable by foot can be reached by drone.
The system works in an unsafe and hazardous environment, which a human should not approach freely. A drone operates without water contact, therefore lakes and rivers with strong currents, as well as contaminated waters become measurable.
Supported sensors – Echo Sounder or GPR – can be selected based on the water depth, required sensitivity, and water properties.
ECHO SOUNDER
- 450Khz single-frequency or 30-50 / 200Khz dual-frequency transducers
- Maximum depth of 100-200m
GROUND PENETRATING RADAR (GPR)
- 52-124Mhz antennas
- Maximum depth of 6-15 meters
Ideal for tasks:
- Mapping sediments of oxidation and tailing ponds
- Mapping water depths and sediments before dredging and cleaning in shallow ponds, lakes, rivers, and canals
- Measuring water depths of open-pit lakes, tailings dams, and ponds
- Underwater inspections for engineering/construction works (bridge or pipeline crossings)
- Sludge volume measurements at waste stabilization ponds
- River and lake bottom profiling for scientific investigations and environmental monitoring.
Source: Press Release/website