Development and initial testing of a SWATH boat for shallow-water bathymetry

Students at Santa Clara University have developed a SWATH boat prototype capable of shallow water operation and configured for creating bathymetric maps through the use of a multi-beam sonar. The sonar works in concert with DVL and precision GPS sensors in order to log data that can be used to generate bathymetric maps through the use of the MB System software suite. The boat´s physical structure includes pontoons, vertical supports, and a platform housing the vessel´s power, sensor, control, and communication systems. Additional systems include a camera and video transmission system for remotely piloted operation, a suite of sensors and controllers for autonomous navigation, and equipment for ballasting the pontoons. An off-board control station aids in navigation computations, provides the pilot/supervisor interface, and links the system to the internet for real-time internet-based piloting and/or monitoring of the mission. An additional winch system has been developed for future operations involving the deployment of a sensor package to various depths. A number of successful test deployments have been completed to date, and operations during the summer of 2008 will include mapping of the Elkhorn Slough, portions of the southern end of San Francisco Bay, portions of Lake Tahoe, and shallow water coastal waters in the San Juan Islands. Ultimately, a more robust model of the boat is planned for deployment at NOAA´s Kasitsna Bay Laboratory in Alaska. The system has been developed in partnership with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and NOAA´s West Coast and Polar Regions Undersea Research Center. This paper will review the technical design of the system and will present the functional performance achieved to date.