High-resolution visual seafloor mapping and classification using long range capable AUV for ship-free benthic surveys

BioCam is a 4000 m depth rated high-resolution mapping instrument that uses lasers, strobes and cameras to generate multi-hectare 3D reconstructions of the seafloor at sub-centimetre resolution. These can be used to analyse seafloor ecology as well as the fine-scale features of seafloor terrains. BioCam was first deployed with the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) Autosub Long Range (ALR), also known as "Boaty McBoatface", in July 2022 using the research vessel RRS Discovery. During several dives a total of 80 ha of seafloor in the Greater Haig Fras and the South West Deeps (East) Marine Conservation Zones (MCZ) were visually mapped from altitudes between 4 and 5.5 m and sub-centimetre resolution bathymetry maps were generated. During the cruise, the AUV and BioCam were left onsite while the ship travelled to a new location, and both systems were controlled via satellite communication to upload new missions and confirm data quality, demonstrating the over-the-horizon operation capability needed to enable future ship-free deployments.