The NRL "ORCA" Oceanographic Survey Vessel

• Main Authors: Bourgeois, Brian, Harris, Mike
• Other Authors: NAVAL RESEARCH LAB STENNIS SPACE CENTER MS ADVANCED SENSOR AND SURVEY SECTIO N
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1995
• Subjects: Submarine Engineering; Underwater and Marine Navigation and Guidance; *OCEANOGRAPHIC DATA; *REMOTELY PILOTED VEHICLES; COMPUTER PROGRAMS; FUNCTIONS; POSITION(LOCATION); DETECTORS; LOW COSTS; REAL TIME; DEMONSTRATIONS; PROCESSING; PROTOTYPES; SURFACES; BATHYMETRY; PLATFORMS; SURVEYS; POSITION FINDING; PRECISION; ACOUSTIC IMAGES; SELF OPERATION; COMMUNICATION AND RADIO SYSTEMS; RADIO LINKS; LIFE CYCLE COSTS; NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORIES; TRAVEL; GEODESY; LITTORAL ZONES; UNDERWATER; OCEANOGRAPHY; AIR BREATHING; OCEANOGRAPHIC SHIPS; WUDN252113; Orca
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA312041; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA312041

The Mapping, Charting and Geodesy Branch of the Naval Research Laboratory at Stennis Space Center, MS. is conducting a multi-year program for the development of unmanned, untethered sensor systems for the collection of tactical oceanographic data in littoral regions. The primary function of this program is the development of immediate force multiplying survey capabilities for the collection of a variety of oceanographic data to support the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office. Additional goals include the identification and demonstration of sensor systems compatible with the ORCA vessel and the guidance of future sensor development. A long term goal is to transition appropriate sensor technologies to fully submerged low-cost autonomous vessels. This paper reviews the vessel, sensor systems, program progress to date and the future plans for a comprehensive oceanographic survey system. The prototype platform currently in use for this project is the ORCA semi-submersible. The ORCA is an air-breathing vessel which travels just below the water surface. The vessel utilizes direct radio links for real-time data and vehicle control communications, as well as a DGPS system for precise platform positioning. The primary sensor installed on ORCA is the Simrad EM950 system which collects bathymetry and collocated acoustic imagery in water up to 300 meters in depth. With the HMPS bathymetry post-processing software, the ORCA is capable of same-day chart production. In contrast to a full size survey vessel, ORCA is able to collect bathymetric data of the same quantity and quality, but will have one fortieth the life-cycle costs. Proceedings Int. Symp. on Unmanned Untethered Submersible Technology (9th), 25-27 Sep 95, Durham, NH.