Some of our clients request proof of the multi-beam echo sounder’s target detection performance. Senior Surveyor Dave Mundy of iXblue explains the process, which involves ground troofing of the multi-beam against a physical object of known dimensions. 

He demonstrates the process, whereby a pre-fabricated one metre cube is lowered to the sea floor at approximately 30 metres, and then the multi-beam passes over the top and to the side of the cube. The data is checked to confirm detection, and the number of soundings recorded with the overhead pass and off to the side are measured to confirm accuracy.