Subsea Enhanced Autonomous Mapping (SEAMless)

Subsea inspection and surveys require highly accurate mapping to support activities such as site assessment, detailed inspection, and asset maintenance. Data collected can be leveraged through the advancements and application of underwater robotics and autonomous systems to support future industry grow. By improving data accuracy and utility, operational costs and campaign durations can be reduced, eliminating the need for repeat surveys. This supports making offshore a trusted cost efficient and sustainable industry.

SEAMless (Subsea Enhanced Autonomous Mapping) will develop a gold standard in composite 3D mapping to deliver the 'Google Maps' of subsea with positioning better than GPS. The fusion of multiple complementary sensors, such as visual perception, novel bio inspired wake detection, acoustic-inertial hybrid navigation, and position sensors, will provide an unambiguous answer to "Where am I?" and "What's around me?". This makes the task of deciding what to do next much easier for autonomous assets and is a key enabler for next-generation trusted long-endurance subsea autonomy.

The advanced perception and intelligent decision-making systems will run on-board an autonomous underwater vehicle through a modular architecture. The provision of dense millimetric mapping and drift tolerant positioning, in turn, reinforces the autonomous navigation and control to improve system performance and safety. The latest in serious gaming technologies will provide advanced visualisation, situational awareness and pre-mission planning and post-mission analysis.

SEAMless will operate in open water and near infrastructure, for offshore renewables, oil and gas decommissioning and environmental assessments to provided targeted surveys and inspections. This project aims to create a system that could feasibly map an entire offshore windfarm creating a digital model through multiple session, with increased autonomous awareness enabling underwater robots to position themselves and navigate along safe collision free path.