Top hydrography trends that you need to know

Hydrographic surveying Sydney has come a long way. There has been a lot of transformation in this field and the obvious transformational technology is computer processing which has radically changed the way things are done. It did not happen immediately. This is something that has taken time. However, it is clear that when you compare the surveying that was done in the 20th century and the one performed nowadays, you will realize that it is easier, faster and more accurate to do surveys now than it was a few years ago. Read on as we explain some of the top trends in the hydrographic survey field.

Time lag to adoption

While computer processing and computers have developed and continue to develop, there is a time lag between the full use of the next development and its adoption. This is due to the cost of production and development as well as the availability to the market and the perceived benefits between the existing technologies and computing capabilities.

GPS

When considering GPS, it is important to know that the high cost of setting up a radio positioning system for the few hydrographic survey users was reduced and GPS was proven to function reliably. The effect of creating something that appeals to the masses enabled a very high development and engineering cost to be reduced for users. A time lag happened as initial coverage, performance issues and availability were dealt with.

Availability and mass appeal

This is a common trend in hydrographic surveying.The availability and mass appeal of emerging technologies such as GPS and computers have generated a great number of innovative applications and uses. For example, the development of high-quality digital cameras replacing the bulky film-based cameras and smartphones that show the location and come with a camera.

It is unlikely that a lot of our offshore and hydrographic survey developing technologies will see such innovation and change but their adoption may be more transformational and effective with the integration into other technologies.

It is, therefore, good and we should be pleased. A further lesson to appreciate is that a lot of technologies come with some unintended consequences. We need to understand that not all of them are significant but some of them are. Very few people would have thought of the effects the modern-day DP vessels systems would have on minimizing the need for the survey systems installations or security implications of pirates use of the automation identification system.

Unmanned and autonomous systems

The unmanned and autonomous systems with ASVs and AUVs trends in technology offer potential benefits for certain projects. As our appreciation and use of their development increases, we may find that there are some consequences on hydrographic surveying Sydney that we had not fully expected. They can be very efficient resulting in high unit cost for a survey area or a period of time. The high potential to increase productivity and reduce some types of offshore personnel seems highly likely but they have limited technology of autonomous operations and limited sensor payloads. This means that replacement fuel systems and data drop at the end of a mission turnaround and this may balance these benefits with certain operations challenges.