Posted on December 19, 2024
Saildrone has been contracted to map Florida’s coastal waters within the continental shelf in the Gulf of Mexico. The project is part of a multiyear effort, known as the Florida Seafloor Mapping Initiative (FSMI), to provide statewide stakeholders with high-quality and high-resolution seafloor data.
The company has been tasked with collecting high-resolution multibeam data in a region known as Middle Grounds and will be conducting the mission on behalf of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). The mission, valued at US$1.66M, will use two ten-metre Saildrone Voyager uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) equipped with Norbit Winghead i80s echosounders for high-resolution mapping, and radar, AIS and cameras for maritime domain awareness. Saildrone will map slightly less than 3,000 kilometres of seafloor, roughly 130 kilometres north-west of the city of St. Petersburg.
Enhancing resilience
“Mapping the Florida coastline is vital for understanding our dynamic coastal environments, supporting sustainable resource management and enhancing resilience against extreme weather events. FSMI will provide critical insights that empower policymakers, researchers and local communities to protect vital ecosystems and infrastructure along Florida’s coasts,” said Brian Connon, Saildrone vice president of ocean mapping. “Saildrone USVs efficiently and safely collect high-resolution bathymetric data while minimizing environmental impact.”
With 2,170 kilometres of coastline, Florida ranks second only to Alaska among US states. However, large portions of its coast remain unsurveyed, and many nautical charts still rely on outdated, low-resolution data.
FSMI expands on the Florida Coastal Mapping Program (FCMaP), which aims to produce a high-resolution seafloor dataset of Florida’s coastal waters by 2028. This data will update navigational charts, identify hazards, support scientific research and aid emergency management. Saildrone’s data will enhance understanding of coastal vulnerability, hurricane impact, restoration efforts and flood risk mapping.
