A research team of the Institute of Geodesy and Cartography (under Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) has successfully designed and manufactured unmanned mini-vessels to survey, draw seabed maps and collect data on natural resources and environment.

This is the result of a scientific project conducted within 30 months, from January 2018 to June 2020.

Researchers prepare self-propelled boat equipment to survey the Red River. Photo: Natural Resources and Environment Newspaper

The project aims to set up an echo sounding system with unmanned mini-vessels: Software and system for integrating echo sounding equipment with IMU - GNSS - RTK inertial navigation device - RTK on unmanned ship vessels (USV). On that basis, the experts proposed a technological process to establish a large-scale topographic map of the rivers and seabed.

Director of the Center for Informatics and Geodesy Map (under Institute of Geodesy and Cartography) Luu Hai Au said the research team has designed and built systems that did not exist in Vietnam and had to be imported.

After the successful research and manufacturing, self-propelled vessels can measure data from a water depth of 1 - 1,000 meters and automatically send data via radio signals and GPRS waves.

The vessel is designed to run unmanned. Its shell is made of composite plastic. Its hull is installed with data logging software, online camera, satellite navigation device, antenna and an echo sounding device. A small computer like a phone is also installed inside to store data and send it to the system via radio and GPRS signals. Both hardware and software are actively developed by the research team in the country.

The vessel has a load of 60 kg, and is equipped with two batteries, so it can work  8-10 hours, operating in unsafe or polluted marine areas. It can also run underground to check and measure data to detect illegal discharge of waste water into the sea.

Currently, the ship is under trial tests on fast-flowing waters in Lo and Da rivers and survey islands in Van Don (Quang Ninh). The result it produced is quite encouraging. 

Hanoitimes