As technology has advanced, the programs which show satellite views have become commonplace for most people. The hills and valleys underwater are even clearly defined, as well as landscape topography. While much of this work has been done via satellite photographs, much of the details are being filled in now by unmanned surface vehicles.
It is absolutely amazing how much of this type of work can now be done by remote control with little to know oversight. There are prototypes available to universities or governments which will perform mapping duties on their own. The parameters of the area they wish to cover are programmed, and the progress is monitored by a vehicle control station, or VCS.
Maintaining this VCS is done through an application which can be loaded onto a cell phone or any other device. The person or people conducting the study track the progress of their project in real time, day and night, and can continue to do so as long as the batteries last. Not only can they keep tabs of the progress as well as battery life, but they know if the vehicle runs into any snags as well.
Mapping underwater regions is a science known as bathymetry. It used to be a laborious process requiring boats fitted with sonar and radar equipment to sweep the ocean floor or lake bed in a back-and-forth motion, much like vacuuming or mowing a lawn. Poor weather, changing tides, nightfall, and simply running out of gasoline in their boats were all barriers to efficient mapping.
By using robotic boats such as the USV, there is no need to have personnel aboard vessels which require gasoline in order to perform the task. It is an obvious application for robotic technologies. In the event of inclement weather, the USV is likely to hold up better than a boat, and there is no risk to people on board.
These boats can be equipped for measuring temperature and rainfall, as well as wave patterns and temperature during severe storms. The study of hurricanes has been taken to a whole new level with this technology. With the data collected remotely, even if the vessel is completely lost, the data collected during the period of observation has already been delivered.
Private individuals have many uses for such technological advances as well. There are many farmers and land owners who have water features on their properties, and having these closely mapped is a vital part of ensuring safety on their property. It is necessary to know not only the depth of the water, but whether or not there are structures or trees shallow enough to pose a threat to boaters or swimmers.
Law enforcement is now able to utilize such technology in search and rescue missions. Humans will become tired long before the batteries of a small USV will wear out. The very hit-or-miss nature of such search and rescue can now be done in a manner much more efficient and therefore more likely to preserve human life in the event of a disaster.
It is absolutely amazing how much of this type of work can now be done by remote control with little to know oversight. There are prototypes available to universities or governments which will perform mapping duties on their own. The parameters of the area they wish to cover are programmed, and the progress is monitored by a vehicle control station, or VCS.
Maintaining this VCS is done through an application which can be loaded onto a cell phone or any other device. The person or people conducting the study track the progress of their project in real time, day and night, and can continue to do so as long as the batteries last. Not only can they keep tabs of the progress as well as battery life, but they know if the vehicle runs into any snags as well.
Mapping underwater regions is a science known as bathymetry. It used to be a laborious process requiring boats fitted with sonar and radar equipment to sweep the ocean floor or lake bed in a back-and-forth motion, much like vacuuming or mowing a lawn. Poor weather, changing tides, nightfall, and simply running out of gasoline in their boats were all barriers to efficient mapping.
By using robotic boats such as the USV, there is no need to have personnel aboard vessels which require gasoline in order to perform the task. It is an obvious application for robotic technologies. In the event of inclement weather, the USV is likely to hold up better than a boat, and there is no risk to people on board.
These boats can be equipped for measuring temperature and rainfall, as well as wave patterns and temperature during severe storms. The study of hurricanes has been taken to a whole new level with this technology. With the data collected remotely, even if the vessel is completely lost, the data collected during the period of observation has already been delivered.
Private individuals have many uses for such technological advances as well. There are many farmers and land owners who have water features on their properties, and having these closely mapped is a vital part of ensuring safety on their property. It is necessary to know not only the depth of the water, but whether or not there are structures or trees shallow enough to pose a threat to boaters or swimmers.
Law enforcement is now able to utilize such technology in search and rescue missions. Humans will become tired long before the batteries of a small USV will wear out. The very hit-or-miss nature of such search and rescue can now be done in a manner much more efficient and therefore more likely to preserve human life in the event of a disaster.
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