| AquaMap™ surveys consist of a planning, an execution and a data post processing phase. The survey is defined in the planning phase. For example, complete or systematic ground coverage may be ensured by establishing a search pattern. It is also possible to enter individual waypoints to guide divers to specific locations. The essence of many surveys is the association of diver observations or sensor readings with positions. In the planning phase, you will define appropriate observation recording screens, each containing one or several data fields. An abalone population study might associate an animal’s location and depth, with sea water temperature and diver observations of animal size and sub-species.
Actual survey work starts with the deployment of the baseline stations. Typically, three stations are mounted near the corners of a survey site. An acoustic ‘baseline survey’ quickly and automatically determines the locations of the baseline stations relative to each other. Through the use of an optional surface stations and a DGPS receiver, it is also possible to survey the absolute (latitude & longitude) location of the baseline stations. The diver then enters the water, and guided by navigation information on the diver station, follows the intended search path. The observation recording screen can be called up at any time, either when encountering an object of interest or in systematic intervals. The diver also has the option of enabling ‘continous position recording’, for example to trace the outline of a reef.
After the mission, survey data is downloaded to a PC for analysis. Observation records and position traces can be readily imported into spread sheets, data bases or mapping / GIS software.
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Technical Specifications
| Positioning Technology |
Long baseline (LBL) |
| Max. survey area size |
100m x 100m to 500 m x 500m for most shallow water diving environments; multiple areas can be stitched. |
| Depth Rating |
300 m |
| Positioning Accuracy |
Generally sub-meter; Positions down to 0.15 m accuracy with well controlled setup |
| Depth Sensing |
0-80 m +/- 0.8 m or 0-240 m +/- 2.4 m |
| Position Update Rate |
2 - 3 seconds typical |
| Data recording |
Position, position error, depth, temperature, time, diver observations and readings from external sensors. |
| Data memory |
512 Kbyte, Sufficient for about 20000 position fixes or 5000 - 50000 observation records. |
| Multi-diver operations |
Up to ten divers |
| Diver Supervision |
With optional surface station |
| Diver Station Battery Life |
5 hours, typical |
| Baseline Station Battery Life |
20 / 160 hours typical with RBS-1 / RBS-2. Zero-power sleep mode to spread operational time. |
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System Selector Guide
| AM-1 |
This rugged AquaMap(tm) system is the most popular choice for oceanic diver survey operations. The system include one DS-1 diver station, three RBS-1 baseline stations, accessories, and carrying case. |
| AM-2 |
The long battery life of the RBS-2 baseline stations make this AquaMap(tm) system ideal for surveys of up to 160 hours. The system includes one DS-1 diver station, three RBS-2 baseline stations, accessories, and a rugged shipping container. |
| STM-10 |
Optional rugged surface station for AquaMap(tm) systems. It is housed in a waterproof carrying case. This station also accommodates a notebook computer. |
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