Bathymetry and the Rise of Robots for Seabed Mapping

Example of bathymetric map (NOAA 1995)

“We have better maps of the surface of Mars and the moon than we do the bottom of the ocean.”

— NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)

We’ve sent a man to the moon and looked back at our own blue marble from the expanse of space—yet our own oceans remain in many ways a mystery to us. Prohibitive pressure levels and sheer vastness have rendered ocean exploration a difficult task. It is easier and safer to send someone into the vacuum of space than it is to dispatch them to the remote regions and depths of our oceans. Because of these challenges, acoustic bathymetry has emerged as the primary mode of modern ocean mapping. This science uses sonar to survey the submerged topography of the seafloor, eliminating the need for underwater human presence and the risks that accompany it. An instrument called a multibeam echosounder, typically mounted to the side or underbelly of a research vessel, emits beams of sound into the sea below. The time is takes for the sound to reach the seafloor and bounce back to the sounder provides a measurement of depth. When multiple beams are used synchronously and continuously, the data can be compiled to create a comprehensive map of the contours of the ocean floor.

Rendering of multibeam echosounder technology in action (NOAA)

“Seabed mapping is fundamental to the safety, security, heritage, and economic prosperity of our nations.”

— NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

Bathymetric data has immense and inestimable value. Not only does it excite the imagination, it informs nearly every seafaring effort and contributes to a more holistic understanding of our earth and global existence. Bathymetry is crucial to weather prediction, climate change monitoring, conservation, resource exploitation prevention, environmental protection, maritime security, coastal zone management, illegal fishing interdiction, mineral deposit understanding, current modelling, tsunami modelling, underwater heritage discovery, and more.

Bathymetry has proved to be a stirring and successful mode of study—but despite days at sea over the course of years, bathymetric expeditions have yielded less than 20% of our ocean mapped. Why? It’s expensive, it takes time, and it’s just plain difficult. Ocean robots have set sail to solve the problem.

Autonomous uncrewed vehicles are the future of bathymetric data collection. Prior to this burgeoning ‘bot industry, crewed ships would embark on extended ocean mapping missions that were expensive and tedious. Now, vehicles can survey the seafloor without any crew or captain aboard, allowing for more extensive data collection with less risk and at a lower expense. So far, the results are positive and a brighter, better-informed future is on the horizon; but time is of the essence and even these robotic technologies still aren’t as effective or expeditious as they could be.

Ocean Aero is answering the call for a more efficient, more capable ocean robot with the TRITON— the world’s first AUSV (Autonomous Underwater and Surface Vehicle). This environmentally powered, dual modality AUSV can sail to site autonomously and submerge to both avoid surface energy and get closer to the targeted seabed. This means more detailed ocean maps with higher resolution and less hassle. TRITONs also have the potential swarm, setting sail in droves around the globe and surveying our ocean floors in fleets, for faster and more efficient ocean mapping than ever before.

The TRITON AUSV diving below the ocean’s surface.