Bathymetric surveys with a UAV and an echo sounder successfully conducted in Israel

The data was validated by authorized local surveyors and reports from previous surveys of the same areas by “Michmoret Campus - Faculty of Marine Sciences”. The “reference” bathymetric data was collected using a manned boat and multi-beam and single-beam echo sounders and demonstrated a good match between the results of new drone-based and traditional methods.

The bathymetric system consisted of a standard commercial DJI drone (UgCS SkyHub onboard computer and terrain following system with radar altimeter) and Echologger ECT400 single-beam echo sounder provided by SPH Engineering, Latvia. For data processing, the Eye4Software Hydromagic software package was employed.

SPH Engineering announced the launch of a UAV drone, integrated with an echo sounder, as a new product for bathymetric surveys of inland and coastal waters in May 2020. This data collection method has been used in a number of countries, including Denmark and the UAE. The method has proven to be both time and cost efficient and suitable for mapping, measuring and inspections, as well as environmental monitoring. This bathymetry solution is also synchronized with Hydromagic Survey software package.