Looking to expand the capability of their survey fleet and overcome accessibility challenges, Measurement Sciences Inc. (MSI) decided to equip their 3-meter RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) with Sea Machines’ SM300 Autonomous Command and Control system.

This enhancement enables MSI to reduce personnel count on hydrographic survey operations by 60% and allows the vessel to access areas considered unsafe for manned vessels.

ABOUT MEASUREMENT SCIENCES INC.

Measurement Sciences Inc. (MSI), founded in 2005 and based in Calgary, specializes in professional engineering and surveying. The company employs advanced technology to serve a diverse range of clients, including oil and gas pipeline companies, land developers, power generation firms, engineering and construction companies, as well as local municipalities and provincial governments.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Safety is a primary concern for MSI, especially when dealing with hazardous water environments such as hydroelectric dams, flood conditions, debris, swift water, toxic bodies of water, and more. Traversing these waters often requires multiple permits, consuming both time and money, and still puts personnel at risk.

In this case study, MSI conducted pipe coverage surveys at four different locations. Due to the high flow events during the surveys, using manned vessels would have been unsafe. Therefore, at the request of their customers, manned craft were not used.

SOLUTION

By converting the RIB into an autonomous vessel using the SM300 system, MSI can remotely command the autonomous boat from shore or do manual remote control. This setup eliminates the need for humans on board while still enabling the collection of survey data in the necessary areas.

WHY CHOOSE THE SM300?

Robust and reliable autonomy aside, the SM300 can be retrofitted to vessels of any size. This provided MSI the flexibility to choose a vessel that was both nimble and capable of withstanding high flow conditions, as well as accommodating the additional weight of the onboard sensors.

This is a significant advantage over many USVs available on the market, which often do not perfectly match specific needs—being either too small to handle strong currents and payloads, or too large to navigate smaller waterways.

IMPLEMENTATION

Installation

The SM300 system was installed on the RHIB, including all necessary sensors and control modules

Calibration and Testing

Extensive calibration and testing were conducted to ensure the system’s accuracy and reliability.

Training

MSI’s operators received training on using the SM300 system, focusing on remote operation using the wearable Wireless Remote Helm

AUTONOMY TAKES YOU BEYOND REMOTE CONTROL

The SM300 system not only supports remote command from shore but also offers a range of advanced autonomy features specifically designed for survey operations.

Full Autonomous Operation

Plot waypoints from the SM300 user interface or import missions from hypack or Qinsy to execute survey projects from start to finish without human intervention.

Tight & Productive Surveys

High performance control from acute position sampling to fine rudder and speed modulation provides very tight cross track error and minimizing holidays, greatly surpassing the average manual operations, increasing job productivity and efficiency.

Collaborative Autonomy

Enabling multiple simultaneous survey vessels for an expanded swath of data collection to increase productivity multi-fold.

RESULTS

Cost Savings

By eliminating the need for personnel on both the survey and rescue crafts in high-flow environments, MSI achieved a 60% reduction in required staff.

Additionally, the consolidation of operations into a single vessel instead of two (a survey craft and a secondary stand-by rescue craft) led to significant time and fuel savings.

Increased Safety

Removing humans from the physical survey location eliminates potential risks associated with being on the water.

Operators can safely manage the survey operations from shore, significantly enhancing safety.

Enhanced Accessibility

With an unmanned craft, MSI can access waterways with fewer permits related to human safety regulations, saving time and effort.

The smaller RIB can be launched from a simple ramp or shoreline, unlike traditional vessels that need a proper boat ramp, often situated far from the survey area. This reduces transit time and streamlines logistics.

Time Savings

Remote operation eliminates the need for operational downtime due to breaks, meals, and other interruptions.

The unmanned vessel can remain on station continuously, maximizing survey time and efficiency. Deployment times are also reduced, with the smaller vessel being easier to transport and launch.

CONCLUSION

The integration of the SM300 Autonomous Command and Control system into MSI’s survey fleet has significantly enhanced their operations by decreasing costs and increasing safety.

Retrofitting the system onto an existing vessel tailored to specific job requirements allows MSI to enhance operational efficiency without compromising quality.

Looking ahead, MSI anticipates that the transition from manned to unmanned vessels will be a beneficial and inevitable evolution, as they plan to expand their autonomous fleet.

For more information on the SM300 Autonomous Command and Control system, view our product page here or contact our sales team at sales@sea-machines.com

Watch the video version here, or view the Case Study PDF here.

The post Enhancing Hydrographic Survey with Autonomous Vessels appeared first on Sea Machines Robotics.

It is no secret that the maritime industry is rewarding but often dangerous sector. 

With the advent of maritime autonomy for commercial use, including our SM300 Autonomous Command and Control system, there’s a transformative opportunity to replace on-board officers with Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) in high-risk maritime operations. This crucial shift significantly reduces the risk of injury or loss of life.

In this blog, we’ll focus on the specific hazards associated with certain maritime jobs and explore industries poised to benefit from the adoption of autonomous vessels. 

Maritime Autonomy: What is it? 

For a detailed explanation of maritime autonomy, we recommend taking our look at our Ultimate Guide to Maritime Autonomy in 2024 here. 

What are the Dangers at Sea? 

In the maritime workplace, dangers typically arise from accidents—resulting from either human error or machinery failure—harsh and inhospitable conditions, or the intrinsic risks associated with specific use cases. 

According to a report from the United States Coast Guard Research and Development Center, 75%-95% of maritime casualties have some degree of contribution from human error (source: link). 

Fatigue and neglect over long shifts can greatly increase opportunities for collisions and grounding that cause property damage, injuries, and catastrophic loss.  

Similarly, unpredictable weather patterns are prime opportunities for the use of maritime autonomy as poor conditions can obstruct operations, forcing officers to work in unsafe environments. 

Lastly, certain maritime jobs are inherently dangerous. Prioritizing the reduction of human exposure to potentially harmful elements should be a primary focus for any maritime business or agency.  

While autonomy may not be applicable to all scenarios, it offers a transformative opportunity to reimagine and enhance numerous operations, aligning with a commitment to safety and innovation in the maritime sector. 

Where Unmanned Surface Vessels Can Help 

Maritime autonomy benefits dangerous jobs by: 

1. Physical Distancing: Ensures a vital physical separation from potential dangers through remote command. 
2. Collision Avoidance: Implements an additional safeguard against collisions via collision avoidance software, much like auto braking or lane sensing in a car. 

While most vessels will benefit from the additional safeguard that collision avoidance provides, below are specific use cases where autonomous vessels can significantly improve workplace safety. 

Unexploded Ordnance Disposal

Perhaps the most visual example of the benefits of unmanned vessels is the possibility of executing Unexploded Ordinance (UXO) disposal operations without personnel on board the vessel. 

USVs, remotely commanded from shore, can be autonomously deployed to identify or help dispose of unexploded ordnances  without the presence of officers on board. 

Search and Rescue 

Maritime accidents, more often than not, occur in unsavoury weather conditions. With every second being the difference between life and death, Search and Rescue (SAR) operations are imperative, necessitating execution even in extreme storms or rough seas. 

In combination with unmanned Search and Rescue technology, like our one-of-a-kind collaboration with Zelim, rescuing humans from the water will no longer need to come at the risk of another.  

Oil Spill Response 

Oil spills, aside from wreaking havoc on the surrounding ecology, also present a health hazard for those involved in the challenging task of oil collection. 

An Unmanned vessel can be outfitted with an oil collection skimmer, or a boom that can be deployed autonomously via integrated payload controls, not only removing humans from toxic work environments, but also allow for faster deployment times, a crucial element in oil spill harm reduction. 

Sea Machines is proud to be the first to demonstrate together with the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD) how autonomous systems can be deployed to efficiently address oil spills on a Kvichak Marco skimmer boat in 2019.

Military Applications 

Apart from enhancing safety with collision avoidance, unmanned vessels also allow for vessels to be remotely commanded from a safe location inland. 

This not only allows for a safe physical distance, but also increased flexibility in operations for persistent surveillance, or domain awareness, as well as long range logistics, and insertion activities. 

Autonomous vessels can also be sent ahead of motherships to scout for inbound threats (asset escort and protection) to minimize risk. 

The SM300 Autonomous Command and Control system is an integral part of many of the US NAVY and United State Coast Guard exercises to evaluate incorporation and integration of unmanned surface vessels into everyday operations. 

The Technology of Tomorrow, Now 

Autonomy may seem like a faraway concept for some, but we know better. 

Having launched our SM300 Autonomous command and control system in 2018 and with 70+ deployments worldwide, we know that autonomy is ready, and it is here. 

Don’t believe us? Book a remote demo from anywhere in the world and see for yourself here.

Or see more use cases on our social media here.

The post Autonomous Vessels Spares Officers from Dangerous Jobs at Sea appeared first on Sea Machines Robotics.

Romeo Papa Boats provides support activities for customers utilizing unmanned and manned operations to expand coverage with a lower cost of deployment.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The post Testimonial: Romeo Papa Uses Sea Machines Autonomy appeared first on Sea Machines Robotics.

DEA Marine Services, a division of David Evans and Associates, Inc. (DEA), of Vancouver, Wash., has invested in and utilized Sea Machines Robotics’ autonomous-command and remote-helm control system aboard DEA survey vessels to more efficiently fulfill a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) contract to survey more than 60 square nautical miles of the Western Galveston Bay, of which approximately 15 percent of the total survey mileage was acquired autonomously. The Texas survey, a prototype mission for the unmanned operations, posed numerous challenges to marine surveyors, including a large geographic area, variable shallows, numerous obstructions and unpredictable sea conditions. For DEA, Sea Machines’ innovative technology increased the operational productivity of the vessels involved.

Integration and Installation

Following the installation of the SM300 aboard an existing DEA survey vessel in November 2020, DEA completed sea trials and began operations in Galveston Bay, the area designated by the U.S. Coast Guard for unmanned vessel operations for the project. This SM300 system allowed the survey vessel, Sigsbee, to operate as a daughter craft and provided DEA with new capabilities that increased the vessel’s value.

The SM300 comes equipped with an on-board, ruggedized computer, powered by TALOS technology (“the brain”), that allows operators to plan, track and record missions using Electronic Navigation Chart (ENC) information. Although not integrated for this survey, the system missions can consider and interpret data from radar, AIS, GPS and more to help operators execute highly efficient, predictable and safe routes.

DEA also installed a wireless network to enable crew aboard the manned vessel to command and control the survey PC and instrumentation aboard the Sigsbee. Working with Hypack, the unmanned vessel coverage was displayed with the manned vessel coverage, and lines would start and stop in sync with the Hypack software. Further, DEA network specialists installed a remote access capability aboard all vessels to enable DEA Lead Hydrographers to control PCs and instrumentation from anywhere with internet access.

A view from the bridge of the mothership: An on-board operator sets the flanking offset distance of the daughter craft Sigsbee (shown) using the Sea Machines SM300 as it autonomously surveys Western Galveston Bay. Photo credit: DEA

More Data Collection, Less Risk and Effort

With Sea Machines technology integrated aboard Sigsbee, DEA was able to start executing autonomous missions in reduced-crew or unmanned configurations from a nearby support boat. To meet the unique needs of the NOAA project requirements, DEA chose to integrate its command station aboard a second, larger vessel that would serve as the mothercraft for the mission with the Sigsbee collaboratively following.

“Having the flexibility to operate a survey vessel manned or unmanned offered tremendous versatility in the conduct of a tough survey. In open waters, the Sigsbee would run unmanned, collaboratively following and thereby widening the swath of the manned vessel in the shallow waters of Galveston Bay. In tight quarters around structures, the Sigsbee served as a manned platform that could run at shallower depths and was more maneuverable than the larger vessel,” said DEA Marine Services’ Jon Dasler, PE, PLS, CH; senior vice president and director.

Sea Machines technology enhances the value of hydrographic survey operations through wireless remote control via an industrial-grade beltpack. This capability gives the freedom to command and control vessels and on-board payloads – such as winches, sonar and other equipment – from any location on or off the vessel, from a line-of-site position up to a kilometer away. The beltpack is used to manually command the vessel when not in autonomous mode and is of particular value during launch and retrieval processes.

Multiple survey vessels can also utilize Sea Machines’ collaborative autonomy behavior, which allows two or more vessels to mirror one another’s course, heading and speed for a force multiplier effect. Autonomy also improves vessel-tracking precision over planned survey lines to reduce cross-track error and excessive data overlap. Pairing manned mother vessels with unmanned daughter craft, as DEA has done, reduces crew expenses and maximizes production during favourable weather windows with fewer crew and minimizes the number of staff on weather days.

But the value of today’s autonomous technology does not stop when the mission ends. When operations cease, mariners have access to archived mission data. This data can inform operators on ways to improve work on the water or can be repurposed as plug-and-play inputs for future projects.

Crews who use autonomous systems report greater job satisfaction due to the technology’s ability to shift recurring and repetitive tasks from manual to automated operations, allowing the mariners to focus on higher-level work. Sea Machines also helps to reduce operator fatigue, a major casualty factor in marine incidents during night-time operations, repetitive or tedious work, and challenging sea states. Further, the company’s technology offers automated obstacle detection and collision avoidance capabilities to reduce risk of dangerous and costly incidents on the water.

“It’s clear that adding autonomy to workboats and survey craft can reduce operational costs significantly via increased on-water productivity time, fine course control, reduced crew changes, and in some cases, lowered crew expenses,” said Sea Machines’ Phil Bourque, director, business development. “The mitigated risk at sea speaks for itself in terms of keeping crews safe and vessels in operation.”

“Part of the peace of mind in using Sea Machines is in its flexibility. We have the power to decide when to operate in crewed or unmanned configurations, based on individual circumstances,” said Dasler. “It also means that crew can override autonomous operations at any time and resume them when appropriate. This feature is one way that we ensure work continuity in constantly changing marine conditions.”

600 Autonomous Miles Surveyed

Sigsbee hit the water in November 2020 and began autonomously executing survey routes in the Bay. Since then, DEA operators located aboard the mothership have commanded the autonomous Sigsbee as it conducts survey missions seven days per week during favourable weather, amplifying the conventional productivity of this type of survey.

“Sigsbee has increased coverage by operating without an onboard crew, while collaboratively following another DEA-staffed hydrographic survey vessel, which serves as the mothership. The goal has been to cover the Bay’s large and shallow survey areas more efficiently than traditional, crewed survey vessel operations and minimize staff in the field during the pandemic,” said Dasler.

By March 2021, the Sea Machines-enabled survey craft had navigated more than 600 nautical miles autonomously, providing accurate and precise data in a highly efficient manner for a significant portion of the project area.

“Deploying the SM300 system for this mission has allowed DEA to conduct marine surveys with improved predictability, speed of data collection and at-sea safety,” said Bourque. “Sea Machines is pleased to support DEA and NOAA during this critical mission and others like it in the future.”

Intelligent Technology on the Horizon

The marine industry is on the cusp of even larger changes due to this surge of technological innovation. The next wave of progress will include Artificial Intelligence (A.I.)-powered perception systems that will provide advanced situational awareness for unmanned and optionally manned applications. Such technology will add to the existing picture of a vessels’ surrounding domain using conventional sensors, by including new capabilities to detect and classify traffic and obstacles using data from real-time image processing.

The main advantages of advanced perception and situational awareness technologies is the reduced risk of uncontrolled incidents, accidents and delays that impact schedules and reduce operators’ bottom lines. These incidents are traditionally caused by limitations in conventional vessel instruments and the perception limitations of human operators.

Sea Machines is now trialling its A.I.-powered perception and situational awareness technology aboard an A.P. Moeller-Maersk’s new-build VISTULA-class ice-classed container ship in Denmark. The project has been significant not only to Sea Machines and Maersk, but also to the larger maritime industry as the installation marks the first time computer vision and perception software have been utilized aboard a container vessel to augment and upgrade transit operations.

Autonomy Is the Future, Today

Autonomous control and intelligent perception systems are differentiators for hydrographic surveyors. Vessel operators who offer these efficiencies and technology-based solutions will define themselves as forward-thinking, relevant and highly competitive.

“DEA is committed to the advancement of technology and being on the leading edge,” said Dasler. “We see autonomy as the future of hydrography and have enjoyed working with Sea Machines and additional software vendors for continued improvements in autonomous operations and the use of artificial intelligence in data processing. We look forward to expanding the use of the Sigsbee, now outfitted with the SM300 system, on future projects.”

It’s up to all of us in the industry, whether we are vessel owners, surveyors or mariners, to recognize the value modern technology brings to operations by way of increased productivity, predictability and safety. Those who capitalize on today’s available technology will reap the greatest benefits as others in the industry play catch-up in the coming months and years.

The post Hydro International Case Study: More Data with Less Effort and Risk appeared first on Sea Machines Robotics.

DEA Marine Services, a division of David Evans and Associates, Inc. (DEA), of Vancouver, Wash., has invested in and utilized Sea Machines Robotics’ autonomous-command and remote-helm control system aboard DEA survey vessels to more efficiently fulfill a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) contract to survey more than 60 square nautical miles of the Western Galveston Bay, of which approximately 15 percent of the total survey mileage was acquired autonomously. The Texas survey, a prototype mission for the unmanned operations, posed numerous challenges to marine surveyors, including a large geographic area, variable shallows, numerous obstructions and unpredictable sea conditions. For DEA, Sea Machines’ innovative technology increased the operational productivity of the vessels involved.

Integration and Installation

Following the installation of the SM300 aboard an existing DEA survey vessel in November 2020, DEA completed sea trials and began operations in Galveston Bay, the area designated by the U.S. Coast Guard for unmanned vessel operations for the project. This SM300 system allowed the survey vessel, Sigsbee, to operate as a daughter craft and provided DEA with new capabilities that increased the vessel’s value.

The SM300 comes equipped with an on-board, ruggedized computer, powered by TALOS technology (“the brain”), that allows operators to plan, track and record missions using Electronic Navigation Chart (ENC) information. Although not integrated for this survey, the system missions can consider and interpret data from radar, AIS, GPS and more to help operators execute highly efficient, predictable and safe routes.

DEA also installed a wireless network to enable crew aboard the manned vessel to command and control the survey PC and instrumentation aboard the Sigsbee. Working with Hypack, the unmanned vessel coverage was displayed with the manned vessel coverage, and lines would start and stop in sync with the Hypack software. Further, DEA network specialists installed a remote access capability aboard all vessels to enable DEA Lead Hydrographers to control PCs and instrumentation from anywhere with internet access.

A view from the bridge of the mothership: An on-board operator sets the flanking offset distance of the daughter craft Sigsbee (shown) using the Sea Machines SM300 as it autonomously surveys Western Galveston Bay. Photo credit: DEA

More Data Collection, Less Risk and Effort

With Sea Machines technology integrated aboard Sigsbee, DEA was able to start executing autonomous missions in reduced-crew or unmanned configurations from a nearby support boat. To meet the unique needs of the NOAA project requirements, DEA chose to integrate its command station aboard a second, larger vessel that would serve as the mothercraft for the mission with the Sigsbee collaboratively following.

“Having the flexibility to operate a survey vessel manned or unmanned offered tremendous versatility in the conduct of a tough survey. In open waters, the Sigsbee would run unmanned, collaboratively following and thereby widening the swath of the manned vessel in the shallow waters of Galveston Bay. In tight quarters around structures, the Sigsbee served as a manned platform that could run at shallower depths and was more maneuverable than the larger vessel,” said DEA Marine Services’ Jon Dasler, PE, PLS, CH; senior vice president and director.

Sea Machines technology enhances the value of hydrographic survey operations through wireless remote control via an industrial-grade beltpack. This capability gives the freedom to command and control vessels and on-board payloads – such as winches, sonar and other equipment – from any location on or off the vessel, from a line-of-site position up to a kilometer away. The beltpack is used to manually command the vessel when not in autonomous mode and is of particular value during launch and retrieval processes.

Multiple survey vessels can also utilize Sea Machines’ collaborative autonomy behavior, which allows two or more vessels to mirror one another’s course, heading and speed for a force multiplier effect. Autonomy also improves vessel-tracking precision over planned survey lines to reduce cross-track error and excessive data overlap. Pairing manned mother vessels with unmanned daughter craft, as DEA has done, reduces crew expenses and maximizes production during favourable weather windows with fewer crew and minimizes the number of staff on weather days.

But the value of today’s autonomous technology does not stop when the mission ends. When operations cease, mariners have access to archived mission data. This data can inform operators on ways to improve work on the water or can be repurposed as plug-and-play inputs for future projects.

Crews who use autonomous systems report greater job satisfaction due to the technology’s ability to shift recurring and repetitive tasks from manual to automated operations, allowing the mariners to focus on higher-level work. Sea Machines also helps to reduce operator fatigue, a major casualty factor in marine incidents during night-time operations, repetitive or tedious work, and challenging sea states. Further, the company’s technology offers automated obstacle detection and collision avoidance capabilities to reduce risk of dangerous and costly incidents on the water.

“It’s clear that adding autonomy to workboats and survey craft can reduce operational costs significantly via increased on-water productivity time, fine course control, reduced crew changes, and in some cases, lowered crew expenses,” said Sea Machines’ Phil Bourque, director, business development. “The mitigated risk at sea speaks for itself in terms of keeping crews safe and vessels in operation.”

“Part of the peace of mind in using Sea Machines is in its flexibility. We have the power to decide when to operate in crewed or unmanned configurations, based on individual circumstances,” said Dasler. “It also means that crew can override autonomous operations at any time and resume them when appropriate. This feature is one way that we ensure work continuity in constantly changing marine conditions.”

600 Autonomous Miles Surveyed

Sigsbee hit the water in November 2020 and began autonomously executing survey routes in the Bay. Since then, DEA operators located aboard the mothership have commanded the autonomous Sigsbee as it conducts survey missions seven days per week during favourable weather, amplifying the conventional productivity of this type of survey.

“Sigsbee has increased coverage by operating without an onboard crew, while collaboratively following another DEA-staffed hydrographic survey vessel, which serves as the mothership. The goal has been to cover the Bay’s large and shallow survey areas more efficiently than traditional, crewed survey vessel operations and minimize staff in the field during the pandemic,” said Dasler.

By March 2021, the Sea Machines-enabled survey craft had navigated more than 600 nautical miles autonomously, providing accurate and precise data in a highly efficient manner for a significant portion of the project area.

“Deploying the SM300 system for this mission has allowed DEA to conduct marine surveys with improved predictability, speed of data collection and at-sea safety,” said Bourque. “Sea Machines is pleased to support DEA and NOAA during this critical mission and others like it in the future.”

Intelligent Technology on the Horizon

The marine industry is on the cusp of even larger changes due to this surge of technological innovation. The next wave of progress will include Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered perception systems that will provide advanced situational awareness for unmanned and optionally manned applications. Such technology will add to the existing picture of a vessels’ surrounding domain using conventional sensors, by including new capabilities to detect and classify traffic and obstacles using data from real-time image processing.

The main advantages of advanced perception and situational awareness technologies is the reduced risk of uncontrolled incidents, accidents and delays that impact schedules and reduce operators’ bottom lines. These incidents are traditionally caused by limitations in conventional vessel instruments and the perception limitations of human operators.

Sea Machines is now trialing its AI-powered perception and situational awareness technology aboard an A.P. Moeller-Maersk’s new-build VISTULA-class ice-classed container ship in Denmark. The project has been significant not only to Sea Machines and Maersk, but also to the larger maritime industry as the installation marks the first time computer vision and perception software have been utilized aboard a container vessel to augment and upgrade transit operations.

Autonomy Is the Future, Today

Autonomous control and intelligent perception systems are differentiators for hydrographic surveyors. Vessel operators who offer these efficiencies and technology-based solutions will define themselves as forward-thinking, relevant and highly competitive.

“DEA is committed to the advancement of technology and being on the leading edge,” said Dasler. “We see autonomy as the future of hydrography and have enjoyed working with Sea Machines and additional software vendors for continued improvements in autonomous operations and the use of artificial intelligence in data processing. We look forward to expanding the use of the Sigsbee, now outfitted with the SM300 system, on future projects.”

It’s up to all of us in the industry, whether we are vessel owners, surveyors or mariners, to recognize the value modern technology brings to operations by way of increased productivity, predictability and safety. Those who capitalize on today’s available technology will reap the greatest benefits as others in the industry play catch-up in the coming months and years.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The post Hydro International Case Study: More Data with Less Effort and Risk appeared first on Sea Machines Robotics.

Deep BV has upgraded a survey vessel with SM300 autonomy system that enables unmanned and reduced-crew configurations, as well as shoreside remote-helm and payload control.

Deep’s objectives:

To improve the quality of data collection while reducing risk to personnel during hydrographic survey operations that will measure challenging portions of the Dutch Wadden Sea.

SM300 solutions:

1. Precise routing to minimize cross-track error (XTE) and reduce overlap
2. Reduced-crew or unmanned configurations, with remote monitoring and command of multiple autonomous vessels from a shipboard or shore-based center
3. Remote control of on-board auxiliaries and sensors, and ship-to-shore data flow
4. System installation aboard Deep’s existing vessel (no need to build new vessels)

Overview

Amsterdam-based Deep BV, a survey company specializing in hydrography, marine geophysics and oceanography, has upgraded survey vessel Loeve (8m/26.2ft) with a Sea Machines SM300 autonomous-command and remote-helm control system. Deep is deploying the Sea Machines-enabled vessel for a mission to survey the Wadden Sea, a challenging shallow body of water with tidal flats and wetlands located north of The Netherlands. Deep operators are able to command and control the autonomous vessel and all on-board payloads (including survey sonars, hydrophones, winches, cranes and davits) from its shoreside Survey Control Room, which has been equipped to manage several surveys simultaneously. Deep is transferring all collected data from the vessel to the control room via 4G and satellite connection. The combination of Sea Machines’ technology and the Survey Control Room has enabled Deep to transition from minimally manned missions to unmanned missions.

The company selected Sea Machines as its autonomy provider because the SM300 could be installed on its existing vessel, Loeve, to enable autonomous pilot assist and unmanned operations. Perhaps most importantly, transitioning mariners from the helm to shore-based positions reduces risk to personnel.

Installation

Sea Machines systems are designed to be installed on new-builds and existing vessels. The Sea Machines SM Series of products integrates with a myriad of the most commonly used interfaces, including propulsion and steering systems, instruments and hydraulic payloads. Only requiring 10 components for installation, the SM300 will fully integrate with the vessel’s on-board GPS, AIS, RADAR and ENC charts to bring autonomous, unmanned and remote-helm capabilities, as well as full situational awareness, to operators both on and off the vessel.

Use Case: Autonomous Marine Surveying

All at-sea operations bring some level of risk to timely, effective mission execution and the routine, repetitive nature of survey work opens the door for fatigue or distraction-related errors. Autonomy assists in precision navigation that yields consistent results with fewer returns to correct errors and omissions. Surveyors are freed up to maintain their focus on higher-level operations.

With the SM300, surveyors can remotely monitor and command multiple autonomous vessels from a shipboard or shore-based center located anywhere with network connectivity. This remote capability enables reduced-crew or unmanned configurations, and increases operational health and safety by mitigating high-risk activities generally associated with working aboard small survey craft in dynamic marine environments. With remote command and control, companies can leverage their technical experts across multiple simultaneous surveys.

Autonomous vessel routes are more consistent than what a human operator can execute and offer reduced XTEs, minimizing the need for overlapping routes. Sea Machines enables collaborative autonomy between two vessels, creating a force multiplier effect that covers more survey area faster.

With a Sea Machines system on board, an operator has an always-on-watch, automated “co-pilot” that can set and follow the course, autonomously make adjustments to improve the route and ride, all while avoiding hazards across all conditions and light availability. The system adds obstacle detection and collision avoidance capabilities during the survey or while in transit to the survey site.

Sea states can vary from hour to hour. To maximize crew comfort and safety on board during unpredictable weather and wave conditions, the autonomous vessel will regulate speeds and soften turns.  The Sea-Keeping Mode autonomously adjust the vessels movements and speeds between waypoints when the mission and environmental conditions exceed the pitch, roll and heave thresholds defined by the operator.

The SM300 enables shoreside command and visibility with full situational awareness using cameras, sensors and other equipment, from a second location on another vessel or on shore. All payloads on board can be remotely operated from a second vessel or shoreside location.

Finally, with a reduced number of crew or no crew on board, the need for work breaks and shift changes is minimized. Coupled with the highly precise data collection that yields lower XTEs, autonomous vessels can be more productive, translating to operational cost savings and CO² emissions reductions.

Training & Use

Following installation, Deep’s vessel operators were trained and were using the system within a few hours. The intuitive system, housed on a ruggedized laptop, includes an easy-to-understand interface and command options.

The remote-helm control beltpack (shown above) is equally simple to use, offering joystick control for throttle and thrust, and buttons for payload control. Deep’s shoreside command center is comprised of several connected large screens and a laptop, utilizing 4G connectivity.

Closing Thoughts from Deep BV

About selecting Sea Machines as its autonomy provider, Deep’s CCO Jurgen Beerens said: 

“The purpose of our Survey Control Room is to offer our clients many possibilities like ad hoc surveys, simultaneous conducted surveys operated by only one survey crew, and multi-purpose use of vessels already available in the field. Besides these unparalleled flexibility advantages, it offers a time-saving option to increase efficiency and control costs towards a more sustainable future. With Sea Machines integrated on our vessel, we will soon begin to transfer tasks from the vessel to the safe working environment of the office. As well as improving safety, we will gain flexibility, continuity and quality, and we will reduce risks and our carbon footprint.”

To learn more about how Sea Machines can make your vessel operations more predictable, productive and efficient, while reducing risk, contact us via the form below. 

The post Unmanned Hydrographic Survey Operations for Higher Quality Data Collection & Increased Safety appeared first on Sea Machines Robotics.

DEA Marine Services, a division of David Evans and Associates, Inc. (DEA), of Vancouver, Wash., has invested in and utilized Sea Machines Robotics’ autonomous-command and remote-helm control system aboard DEA survey vessels to more efficiently fulfill a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) contract to survey more than 60 square nautical miles of the Western Galveston Bay, of which approximately 15 percent of the total survey mileage was acquired autonomously. The Texas survey, a prototype mission for the unmanned operations, posed numerous challenges to marine surveyors, including a large geographic area, variable shallows, numerous obstructions and unpredictable sea conditions. For DEA, Sea Machines’ innovative technology increased the operational productivity of the vessels involved.

Integration and Installation

Following the installation of the SM300 aboard an existing DEA survey vessel in November 2020, DEA completed sea trials and began operations in Galveston Bay, the area designated by the U.S. Coast Guard for unmanned vessel operations for the project. This SM300 system allowed the survey vessel, Sigsbee, to operate as a daughter craft and provided DEA with new capabilities that increased the vessel’s value.

The SM300 comes equipped with an on-board, ruggedized computer, powered by TALOS technology (“the brain”), that allows operators to plan, track and record missions using Electronic Navigation Chart (ENC) information. Although not integrated for this survey, the system missions can consider and interpret data from radar, AIS, GPS and more to help operators execute highly efficient, predictable and safe routes.

DEA also installed a wireless network to enable crew aboard the manned vessel to command and control the survey PC and instrumentation aboard the Sigsbee. Working with Hypack, the unmanned vessel coverage was displayed with the manned vessel coverage, and lines would start and stop in sync with the Hypack software. Further, DEA network specialists installed a remote access capability aboard all vessels to enable DEA Lead Hydrographers to control PCs and instrumentation from anywhere with internet access.

A view from the bridge of the mothership: An on-board operator sets the flanking offset distance of the daughter craft Sigsbee (shown) using the Sea Machines SM300 as it autonomously surveys Western Galveston Bay. Photo credit: DEA

More Data Collection, Less Risk and Effort

With Sea Machines technology integrated aboard Sigsbee, DEA was able to start executing autonomous missions in reduced-crew or unmanned configurations from a nearby support boat. To meet the unique needs of the NOAA project requirements, DEA chose to integrate its command station aboard a second, larger vessel that would serve as the mothercraft for the mission with the Sigsbee collaboratively following.

“Having the flexibility to operate a survey vessel manned or unmanned offered tremendous versatility in the conduct of a tough survey. In open waters, the Sigsbee would run unmanned, collaboratively following and thereby widening the swath of the manned vessel in the shallow waters of Galveston Bay. In tight quarters around structures, the Sigsbee served as a manned platform that could run at shallower depths and was more maneuverable than the larger vessel,” said DEA Marine Services’ Jon Dasler, PE, PLS, CH; senior vice president and director.

Sea Machines technology enhances the value of hydrographic survey operations through wireless remote control via an industrial-grade beltpack. This capability gives the freedom to command and control vessels and on-board payloads – such as winches, sonar and other equipment – from any location on or off the vessel, from a line-of-site position up to a kilometer away. The beltpack is used to manually command the vessel when not in autonomous mode and is of particular value during launch and retrieval processes.

Multiple survey vessels can also utilize Sea Machines’ collaborative autonomy behavior, which allows two or more vessels to mirror one another’s course, heading and speed for a force multiplier effect. Autonomy also improves vessel-tracking precision over planned survey lines to reduce cross-track error and excessive data overlap. Pairing manned mother vessels with unmanned daughter craft, as DEA has done, reduces crew expenses and maximizes production during favourable weather windows with fewer crew and minimizes the number of staff on weather days.

But the value of today’s autonomous technology does not stop when the mission ends. When operations cease, mariners have access to archived mission data. This data can inform operators on ways to improve work on the water or can be repurposed as plug-and-play inputs for future projects.

Crews who use autonomous systems report greater job satisfaction due to the technology’s ability to shift recurring and repetitive tasks from manual to automated operations, allowing the mariners to focus on higher-level work. Sea Machines also helps to reduce operator fatigue, a major casualty factor in marine incidents during night-time operations, repetitive or tedious work, and challenging sea states. Further, the company’s technology offers automated obstacle detection and collision avoidance capabilities to reduce risk of dangerous and costly incidents on the water.

“It’s clear that adding autonomy to workboats and survey craft can reduce operational costs significantly via increased on-water productivity time, fine course control, reduced crew changes, and in some cases, lowered crew expenses,” said Sea Machines’ Phil Bourque, director, business development. “The mitigated risk at sea speaks for itself in terms of keeping crews safe and vessels in operation.”

“Part of the peace of mind in using Sea Machines is in its flexibility. We have the power to decide when to operate in crewed or unmanned configurations, based on individual circumstances,” said Dasler. “It also means that crew can override autonomous operations at any time and resume them when appropriate. This feature is one way that we ensure work continuity in constantly changing marine conditions.”

600 Autonomous Miles Surveyed

Sigsbee hit the water in November 2020 and began autonomously executing survey routes in the Bay. Since then, DEA operators located aboard the mothership have commanded the autonomous Sigsbee as it conducts survey missions seven days per week during favourable weather, amplifying the conventional productivity of this type of survey.

“Sigsbee has increased coverage by operating without an onboard crew, while collaboratively following another DEA-staffed hydrographic survey vessel, which serves as the mothership. The goal has been to cover the Bay’s large and shallow survey areas more efficiently than traditional, crewed survey vessel operations and minimize staff in the field during the pandemic,” said Dasler.

By March 2021, the Sea Machines-enabled survey craft had navigated more than 600 nautical miles autonomously, providing accurate and precise data in a highly efficient manner for a significant portion of the project area.

“Deploying the SM300 system for this mission has allowed DEA to conduct marine surveys with improved predictability, speed of data collection and at-sea safety,” said Bourque. “Sea Machines is pleased to support DEA and NOAA during this critical mission and others like it in the future.”

Intelligent Technology on the Horizon

The marine industry is on the cusp of even larger changes due to this surge of technological innovation. The next wave of progress will include Artificial Intelligence (A.I.)-powered perception systems that will provide advanced situational awareness for unmanned and optionally manned applications. Such technology will add to the existing picture of a vessels’ surrounding domain using conventional sensors, by including new capabilities to detect and classify traffic and obstacles using data from real-time image processing.

The main advantages of advanced perception and situational awareness technologies is the reduced risk of uncontrolled incidents, accidents and delays that impact schedules and reduce operators’ bottom lines. These incidents are traditionally caused by limitations in conventional vessel instruments and the perception limitations of human operators.

Sea Machines is now trialling its A.I.-powered perception and situational awareness technology aboard an A.P. Moeller-Maersk’s new-build VISTULA-class ice-classed container ship in Denmark. The project has been significant not only to Sea Machines and Maersk, but also to the larger maritime industry as the installation marks the first time computer vision and perception software have been utilized aboard a container vessel to augment and upgrade transit operations.

Autonomy Is the Future, Today

Autonomous control and intelligent perception systems are differentiators for hydrographic surveyors. Vessel operators who offer these efficiencies and technology-based solutions will define themselves as forward-thinking, relevant and highly competitive.

“DEA is committed to the advancement of technology and being on the leading edge,” said Dasler. “We see autonomy as the future of hydrography and have enjoyed working with Sea Machines and additional software vendors for continued improvements in autonomous operations and the use of artificial intelligence in data processing. We look forward to expanding the use of the Sigsbee, now outfitted with the SM300 system, on future projects.”

It’s up to all of us in the industry, whether we are vessel owners, surveyors or mariners, to recognize the value modern technology brings to operations by way of increased productivity, predictability and safety. Those who capitalize on today’s available technology will reap the greatest benefits as others in the industry play catch-up in the coming months and years.

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