The Port Authority of New South Wales survey team is testing new technology that promises to enhance its underwater mapping capabilities.

The team’s survey vessel Port Explorer uses a state-of-the-art multi-beam transducer linked to a gyroscope and GPS to produce underwater images of high accuracy and clarity.

Now, working with the technology’s manufacturers, Teledyne Reson, the team has been able to link its transducer with an above water laser scanner to produce combined images described as “nothing short of fantastic.”

Known as ‘sensor fusion’, the technique is similar to that used to accurately map the Costa Concordia ahead of the complex operation to recover the partially submerged 290 metre long and 114,000 gross tonne cruise ship that ran aground off the coast of Italy.

Survey manager Venessa O’Connell says both sensors are controlled by the same software allowing data from both to be integrated to produce a real-time display of their merged above and below water datasets.

“This is the first time Teledyne Reson equipment has been integrated in this way in Australia,” Venessa said. “We are now assessing the results of this sensor fusion trial and working to determine the potential benefits for the Port Authority of its use in areas such as asset maintenance and environmental surveys.”

You can see more images of the surveying equipment as well as the survey results at the original post on myPorts blog.