Items as small as a starfish and Wellington boot were located on the bed of the Clyde Estuary by a specialist Royal Navy team testing a new autonomous underwater surveying system.
The Hydrographic eXploitation Group’s Team 2 deployed with the group’s Seabed Warfare team for a week’s exercise.
Personnel used the Autonomous Underwater System Teledyne GAVIA, which is a self-contained modular survey platform – it looks like a yellow tube between 1.8metres and 4.5metres long – able to efficiently and precisely carry out surveys of the seabed for charting and wider defence purposes.
During the work around the mouth of the Clyde, the team scanned cables and a wreck using GAVIA, as well as much smaller items including a starfish crawling across the seabed and a discarded welly (for a right foot – the display is that clear).
Team 2, who have been developing their skills with the system for the past six months, using a side scan sonar to depths of 80 metres, were requested to support the Seabed Warfare team to develop their proficiency regarding deep-water missions and improving the use of acoustic communications kit for positional accuracy.
Despite gusty weather conditions, the HXG teams successfully deployed deeper survey missions and developed the acoustic comms. This allowed the teams to update in real time the position of the vessel.
“It’s exciting to see and be involved with the navy embracing autonomous equipment, propelling us and the organisation into the future of maritime data acquisition,” said Leading Hand Thomas Bingley. “With the GAVIA it was great to see more of its potential, working alongside others who are looking to use this equipment.”
The Devonport-based HXG stood up last year to allow the Royal Navy to harness the latest technology, surveying waters shallow or deep, ocean or coastal, recording details of depth, seabed objects and composition.
This information can directly impact operations and assist cartographers to redraw charts of the ocean with greater accuracy – for the safety and benefit of all seafarers. Previously the teams were merged with the navy’s meteorological experts but are now HXG and the Metoc Information Warfare Group (MIWG).
There are around 1,400 vessel movements at HMNB Clyde every year, with around 100 cruise ships using the nearby terminal at Greenock each year.
