Introduction to Ocean Drones
Florida’s coastline is about to get mapped, and it’s all thanks to two unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) launched in St. Petersburg.
The USVs, managed by the company Saildrone, are helping the Sunshine State on its multiyear mission to survey coastal waters within the continental shelf.
“At 2,170 kilometers long, Florida’s coastline is second only to Alaska among U.S. states,” the company says. “Many parts of the Florida coast remain unsurveyed, with existing nautical charts relying on outdated and low-resolution data.”
The Florida Seafloor Mapping Initiative may be the solution. Saildrone explains in news releases that the “Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) is managing the project, using $100 million in state funds to collect the data and create a public portal for the new imagery and information.”
But how are we gathering this data, and why is it so important? Here’s what to know.
The Importance of Mapping the Seafloor
Getting a clearer picture of what’s underneath the water–in this case, at depths of 20 to 100 meters–can help those of us on land with everything from hurricane preparation to navigational safety.
The Florida Coastal Mapping Program says its important to map the coastal seafloor to:
- understanding coastal vulnerability and hurricane impacts
- understanding water transport and circulation
- restoration planning and coastal resilience
- locating natural resources and assessing the health of fish populations
- navigational safety
How Do We Map the Seafloor?
Saildrone will survey an area called the Middle Grounds, about 2,817 square kilometers approximately 130 kilometers northwest of St. Petersburg.
To do so, the company has deployed two 10-meter USVs equipped with "NORBIT WINGHEAD i80s multibeam sonar—as well as radar, AIS, and cameras for maritime domain awareness."
This technology will be used to "capture high-resolution bathymetry," or data that reveals the depths and shapes of underwater terrain.
It has had success with these efforts in the Gulf of Maine, a priority mapping area for the federal government due to its "significant commercial fisheries supported by diverse habitats, including deep-sea corals, and the potential to support wind energy."
Saildrone said in August of 2024 that it surveyed 1,500 square nautical miles in an area of the north-central Gulf that had never been mapped in high resolution, "revealing a complex and varied underwater landscape" in the search for those deep-sea corals.
Florida is in the data collection phase of the Florida Seafloor Mapping Initiative. Its goal is to share data with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard by 2027.
Conclusion
The launch of two ocean drones to map Florida’s coastline is a significant step forward in understanding and managing the state’s coastal resources. The data collected by these drones will be crucial in helping to predict and prepare for hurricanes, as well as in supporting the health of fish populations and promoting navigational safety. As the project continues to move forward, it will be exciting to see the impact that this initiative has on the state of Florida and its coastline.
FAQs
Q: What is the purpose of the Florida Seafloor Mapping Initiative?
A: The purpose of the Florida Seafloor Mapping Initiative is to survey coastal waters within the continental shelf and create a public portal for the new imagery and information.
Q: How will the data collected by the ocean drones be used?
A: The data collected by the ocean drones will be used to predict and prepare for hurricanes, support the health of fish populations, and promote navigational safety.
Q: When is the project expected to be completed?
A: The project is expected to be completed by 2027, with the goal of sharing data with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Q: How much funding is being used for the project?
A: The project is using $100 million in state funds to collect the data and create a public portal for the new imagery and information.
