High Speed, High Resolution Seabed Mapping Using Commercial Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Sonar

David Shea
Vice President of Engineering

Kraken Sonar, Inc.

Friday, Apr. 28, 2017, 3:00pm
Chase 130
Abstract

Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS) is seeing increased usage in commercial applications for hydrographic survey, in addition to its original designed use as a mine detection sonar. The recent availability of low-cost commercial off the shelf (COTS) SAS systems has allowed many users access to this advanced technology, where previous systems may have been cost prohibitive.  Interferometric SAS (INSAS) further enhances these systems with the ability to provide co-registered bathymetry and imagery in a single pass, from a single set of sonar arrays.

This trend is driving a requirement to support this data effectively in the data processing software tools that are used on a daily basis. It also creates new requirements to handle the increased data volumes, complex geometries related to SAS data, as well as further highlighting the need for near real-time data processing. This talk will discuss how recent advances in SAS data processing are being incorporated into standard data processing workflows to improve overall survey efficiency. This will also highlight new challenges being faced when dealing with large volumes of SAS data in industry standard data post-processing tools. A case study will be presented to highlight example workflow improvements that have been implemented, and the advantage of using ultra-high resolution SAS for hydrographic mapping.

Bio

David Shea is the Vice President of Engineering for Kraken Sonar Inc, a leading developer of Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Sonar technology. David has extensive experience in the design and manufacturing of sonar systems and unmanned underwater vehicles, and has integrated and operated synthetic aperture sonar onto a variety of towed and untethered platforms. Previously, David was the Engineering Manager at Marine Robotics Inc.