Reef Mapping / Characterization
Autonomous surveying/mapping for investigating the preservation of coral reefs in Samoa and Hawaii
The Samoan Reef project is in collaboration with Richard Gill in BYU's Biology Department. We are interested in developing methods for surveying coral reefs and marine environments in locations such as the Samoan Islands. In particular, we are interested in developing methods for creating 3D reconstructions/models of the reef for later analysis and evaluation.
We are developing an autonomous surface vessel with the ability to synchronously collect and geotag stereo imagery, ocean quality data, and depth information. Future work will include the incorporation of machine learning and planning techniques for species classification, efficient data collection, and targeted inspection.