Autonomous underwater vehicle surveys
Advantages
- AUV collection increases abundance and consistency of data collection
- AUV allows data collection in a wider range of environments than snorkel or dive surveys, and reduces human labour
- AUV data can significantly increase information in final map product
Disadvantages
- Slower launch, less flexible mission modification
- Hardware failure (e.g. battery life, comms, motors etc.)
- Can get lost, but so can people!
Deployment of an autonomous underwater vehicle
Reference:
Roelfsema, C.M., and S.R. Phinn (submitted). Calibration and Validation of Coral Reef Benthic Community Maps: Integration of Field Data with High Spatial Resolution Multi Spectral Satellite Imagery. Journal of Applied Remote Sensing