UK: Measurement Devices Launches 4D Hydrographic Survey Vessel

The Miami Port and Terminal Technology USA 2012 4th international conference and exhibition saw the launch of the industry’s first custom designed 4D (X,Y,Z and TIME) land and marine survey vessel.

Following the success of their Dynascan mobile mapping system (the world’s first truly portable LiDAR system) and the increasing market demand for a combined multi-beam sonar and LiDAR data collection system, Measurement Devices produced the industry’s first custom designed and built 4D data collection hydrographic survey vessel, the DYNASCAN-1.

The DYNASCAN-1 is a trailerable 30 foot LOA ‘V’ bottom aluminium work boat, which has been designed and built for shallow water survey operations. The vessel is fitted with the latest precise positioning, data collection and processing systems and is capable of simultaneously acquiring 360° field of view high precision 4D (X,Y,Z and TIME) data from below and above the surface of inshore and inland waterways, in real time, and referenced to a single common reference point in space and time.

Vessel Sensor Dimensional Control

Precise dimensional control of all of the external survey and positioning sensors has been achieved using the latest technology in static laser scanners to scan the vessel inside and out allowing offset measurements to be determined to accuracies better than two millimeters. All of the onboard survey and positioning sensors, together with the data acquisition software, are precisely time synchronized to each other using the GNSS 1PPS (Pulse per second timing source which varies by less than a second over a thirty year period). This accurate dimensional control and precise time synchronization gives MDL’s survey vessel the ability to generate a near perfect 360° field of view 4D data set which requires little or no post processing. The resultant real-time geo-referenced point clouds generated by the vessel can be exported in a number of industry standard and user customizable formats.

Onboard Positioning Systems

The onboard survey and positioning equipment has been chosen from the best-of-breed technologies available in the market today, with specific focus on performance, suitability, reliability and ability to operate in even the harshest environment conditions. The location of each sensor on the vessel was meticulously planned to optimize sensor performance.

Precise Positioning is provided by dual GNSS receivers. Differential GPS and GLONASS corrections are provided to the onboard GNSS receivers by Radio (RTK), Wireless Internet (VRS) or via satellite service (HP DGPS). The dual GNSS receivers also provide accurate heading information.

Accurate Heading is supplied by the onboard angular rate sensors and accelerometers which form an integral part of the MDL IMU 5000 Inertial Motion Unit (IMU). Heading and rate of turn measurements are augmented by the integral GNSS GPS heading system.

Motion Reference for the vessel (Pitch, Roll, Yaw offset and Heave) is provided by the onboard MDL IMU 5000 Inertial Motion Unit (IMU) at rates of up to 200 Hz. In order to optimize the IMU performance, the IMU has been installed at the precise center of gravity (COG) of the vessel.

The COG of the IMU itself is the zero reference point for all of the onboard positioning and survey sensors.

Onboard Survey Systems

Three MDL marine-grade SLM LiDAR systems have been configured for both medium range (1 to 150 meters) and long range (1 to 500 meter) operations in all weather conditions.

Two SLM-150 meter range lasers are mounted port and starboard at the rear of the instrument cabin at 45° in both pitch and heading, designed specifically to gather detailed data of ports,harbours, bridges, dams and other structures at medium range.

A third SML-500 meter unit is mounted normally amidships at the front of the instrument cabin, ideally placed for longer distance LiDAR operations such as coastlines, beaches and high structures.

The three SLM’s are all precisely synchronized and can be used concurrently to gather medium and long range data in a single pass at rates of up to 108,000 points per second.

Multi-beam SONAR data is gathered a Multi-beam swath sonar system. The system operates at user selectable frequencies between 200 KHz to 400 KHz making it ideal for all water and seabed conditions.

The 256 beams can be focused into a sector of 10° to 160° for wide area low resolution or narrow area high resolution operations at ranges of up to 500 meters. In addition to Multibeam SONAR data, the system also concurrently acquires side scan and water column data.

Data Acquisition Software Systems

Data acquisition is controlled by the QPS QINSy (Quality Integrated Navigation System) software suite. QINSy is the Industry’s leading real-time hydrographic data acquisition, navigation, processing and Quality Control (QC) software package.

The suite of applications can be used for various types of surveys, ranging from simple single bathymetry surveys up to complex dredging or offshore construction operations. On the DYNASCAN-1, the system is configured to acquire and QC the data from all of the onboard survey and positioning systems in real-time.

The DYNASCAN-1 has a full onboard capability to complete a project from start to finish, including data acquisition, data cleaning, post processing and final production of the project deliverable.

Benefits of MDL’s 4D Survey Vessel

– Simultaneous real-time above and below water 3D surveying

– Fully integrated acquisition and data processing onboard the vessel

– 3D visualization software for rapid data assessment

– Fully calibrated ready to go vessel (no mobilization / demobilization delays)

– Trailerable, transportable, high cruise speed vessel

– Fully air conditioned crew quarters

Data processing onboard

– Various software packages are installed onboard the vessel

– Point cloud edit and visualization tools, GNSS, post processing software, point cloud rendering and video overlay software.

– Onboard software enables the complex 3D data and point clouds to easily be interpreted for fast, efficient decision making.

Onboard Power Supplies

Dual Uninterruptable Power Supplies (UPS) systems are used to supply clean 120 VAC power to all of the onboard survey systems at all times. The 1.5 KW UPS units have their own internal back-up battery systems which are capable of supplying power to all of the survey and positioning equipment on the vessel for a time period lasting over an hour.

The UPS batteries are kept fully charged by an onboard 3 KW ‘Super-Quiet’ Mains Generator Set. In the unlikely event of a generator failure, additional UPS Charging capacity is also available from the alternators of the twin outboard motors.

Consultancy and Training

MDL’s experienced hydrographic survey experts are available to discuss, plan and implement small and large projects. A full training package is available to clients and service providers.

Other Ancillary Equipment is available on the vessel such as Real Time Sound Velocity Probe (SVP), Sound Velocity Cast, Geo-Referenced digital cameras, GNSS RTK base station, Wireless Internet connection, GPS Chart Plotter, Hi Res RADAR, all of the required Safety and Emergency Equipment and Ocean Grade First Aid Kit.

The DYANSCAN-1 has been designed specifically for inshore and inland waterways and will be ideally suited for 4D Data acquisition in a number of market sectors, including but not limited to;

– Bridge Scouring

– Surveys Dams & Rivers

– Surveys Ports & Harbors

– Inland Waterway Surveys

– Coastline Surveys

– Inshore Surveys

– Inshore Rigs & Platforms

– Sea Defenses

– Environmental Assessment

– Canals & Locks

– Dredging Surveys

– Port Security Surveys

– Vessel Availability

The DYNASCAN-1 is immediately available for hire to the survey community in the USA and CANADA with fully qualified MDL survey and engineering personnel as required.

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Subsea World News Staff, May 18, 2012