Lidar Technology Helps USV in Bathymetric Survey

Engineers equipped an unmanned surface vehicle (also called “USV”) with an R2Sonic’s Sonic 2020 Multibeam Echosounder for Bathymetric Data collection. This sonar is accompanied by SBG’s Ekinox inertial navigation system and Valeport’s MiniSVS sensor, which is used to capture the speed of sound in the water. This state-of-the-art equipment is used to provide accurate bathymetry in real-time.

Our drones are manufactured for bathymetric surveys in inland waters, dams, quarries or mines. To carry out this mission, our teams use a specific equipment system for bathymetry.

In the photo above, our engineers equipped this unmanned surface vehicle (also called “USV”) with R2Sonic’s Sonic 2020 Multibeam Echosounder for bathymetric data collection. This sonar is accompanied by SBG’s Ekinox inertial navigation system and Valeport’s MiniSVS sensor, which is used to capture the speed of sound in the water. This state-of-the-art equipment is used to provide accurate bathymetry in real time.

In addition to carrying out bathymetric surveys, our USVs combine numerous functions, including programming a navigation circuit that they will carry out autonomously and automatically during a full working day.

What is Lidar?

Lidar is a laser remote-sensing technology. The principle is based on remote measurement using a beam of light sent to an object and back to its transmitter. It is the same principle as sonar but uses lasers instead of a sound wave. Lidar technology adds a topographical vision to the functionalities offered by drones.

Realization of a bathymetric survey using Lidar technology of a precise point of a river in Loire-Atlantique.

Lidar Applications

Lidar Technology performs many functions related to object or obstacle detection, as seen on some autonomous cars equipped with Lidar. In our case, it allows complete topographies around the drones during bathymetric surveys. We are working with Velodyne’s VLP-16, whose laser range is estimated at 200m.

How to Integrate Lidar into a USV?

Our engineers created a custom-made base for the drones to accommodate the Lidar onboard. The base was designed and then manufactured in-house using our 3D printer. The material used is largely made of carbon fibre, which makes the base very resistant.

The Lidar is placed at the front of the drone in order to distribute the weight better. It is placed vertically to optimize the angle of the lasers to obtain the best possible 3D image. The scans are therefore carried out on each side of the UAV and above it, creating a complete topography in real-time.

CADDEN 3D printer

The Perks of Using Lidar on USVs

Thanks to this integration of Lidar, our drones can carry out complete imaging of an environment, whether underwater or in the air, autonomously and, once again, in real time.

For example, during a bathymetric survey of a port, the Lidar will enable us to produce a 3D image of the shoreline above the water while the sounder takes care of the submerged part. This eliminates the need for the operator to wait for the tide to change to cover the shoreline.

It is a gain in safety because the USV is at the heart of the action and allows the operator to manage and programme the mission remotely. But it is also a gain in productivity because it incorporates several mapping functionalities in a single solution that can be managed by a single operator.

Result of the bathymetric survey with Lidar technology