Embark on a journey into the future of hydrographic surveying with our exclusive presentation on Fugro's groundbreaking technology - RAMMS 2.0 Bathymetric Lidar. Positioned as the forefront of innovation, RAMMS 2.0 stands out as the only sensor capable of offering customers a "full water column" capability. This presentation will provide an in-depth exploration of RAMMS 2.0, unveiling its revolutionary capabilities that extend beyond traditional seafloor mapping. Experience firsthand how RAMMS 2.0 maps not only the seafloor but the entire water column, akin to historical acoustic techniques. The session will shed light on the technical intricacies that empower RAMMS 2.0 to deliver comprehensive hydrographic data, offering a holistic understanding of submerged environments. Fugro's experts will share insights into the design, applications, and real-world implications of RAMMS 2.0. Furthermore, discover how this cutting-edge technology was recently showcased during a Rapid Environmental Assessment exercise for NATO in Portugal, conducted in late 2023. The exercise highlighted the unparalleled capabilities of RAMMS 2.0 in providing rapid and accurate bathymetric data, elevating situational awareness and decision-making in critical maritime scenarios. Don't miss this opportunity to explore the unique "full water column" capability of RAMMS 2.0 and its potential to redefine hydrographic surveying. The presentation aims to inspire collaboration and discussion on leveraging advanced technologies for effective marine mapping and environmental assessment.

The lack of high-resolution and accurate hydrospatial data in coastal, lacustrine, and riverine environments is well-known, with a growing need for these data to be made available in a cost-effective manner for a variety of applications. The shallow water-depths (0 – 20 m) is a critical zone that lacks bathymetry data needed for storm surge modeling, commercial and recreational uses, as well as understanding the nearshore zones. Based on many decades of operations, Airborne Lidar Bathymetry (ALB) has proven to be an accurate, cost-effective, rapid, safe, and flexible method for surveying in shallow water and on coastlines where sonar systems are less efficient or even be dangerous to operate. The cost of operations for ALB systems are often 15-30% of the standard vessel-based survey cost, depending on location, depth, and survey density. Water clarity and bottom reflectivity plays a critical role in deriving bathymetry using ALB systems. Dewberry has conducted numerous topobathy lidar surveys ranging from the Great Lakes, to rivers in Virginia, to the coastal environments and watersheds in Florida. We have applied a “fly lidar first, fill-in with sonar” approach to complex projects such as the Withlacoochee River Minimum Flows and Levels (MFL) survey. Based on this general approach, topobathymetric lidar data were collected using the Coastal Zone Mapping and Imaging Lidar (CZMIL-SuperNova) sensor. Any gaps in the data were then filled in using either existing or newly collected multi- and single-beam, crewed and un-crewed surface vehicle sonar, and conventional GPS/Pole-soundings to construct and ground-truth a seamless terrestrial-hydrographic (hydrospatial) DEM. The final, seamless digital Elevation model for the Withlacoochee River model domain was constructed using each data source to its fullest extent. In some cases, statistical kriging was used to densify the single-beam profiles, while in other cases, geometric smoothing techniques were used. The final DEM will be used for HEC-RAS modeling of the channel, ICPR-4 modeling of the floodplain, and Mass-Balance modeling of the lake to establish the 2025 MFL.

Topographic-bathymetric (topo-bathymetric) lidar mapping is a valuable tool in the coastal monitoring toolbox, allowing for efficient survey coverage of large coastal areas. The Florida Seafloor Mapping Initiative (FSMI), headed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), is uniting airborne topo-bathymetric lidar and vessel-based multibeam sonar survey for a comprehensive coverage around the state from shore to the continental shelf edge. Woolpert and NV5 Geospatial have partnered for the collection of the largest topo-bathymetric lidar survey area of this project. FSMI’s Region 3 (Keys) covers nearly 20,000 square kilometers off the southern coast of Florida from Everglades City on the Gulf Coast to just south of Miami on the East coast. The region continues West offshore into the Gulf of Mexico approximately 75 kilometers and completely encompasses the Florida Keys to the South and East. Lidar acquisition is planned to a minimum of 20 meters depth; however, the technology that Woolpert and NV5G are using can map to a depth of up to 50 meters. We will discuss the collaborative efforts across the two teams to find success in a project of this scale, and the importance of such co-operation to the Blue Economy.

The recent emphasis of government agencies toward inland water bathymetry, such as the pending USGS 3DHP program, has meant that sensor manufacturers have started to provide alternative system options for a variety of platforms, including unmanned and single small-engine aircraft. These new sensors provide a cost-effective way of surveying areas with higher resolutions and point densities than what might be typically procured using much larger system designs in larger aircraft. While their overall productivity compared to their larger brethren may be much lower, for many narrower riverine environments the smaller sensors may offer both a cost-effective, yet similarly efficient alternative. This presentation will provide an overview of RIEGL’s latest compact topobathy sensors and discuss some of the new innovative ways RIEGL is advancing the area of lidar topo-bathymetry.