MBES Bathymetric Data Collection using Drones (MBES-1)
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Mapping underwater terrain with a drone-mounted multibeam echosounder is faster and safer than boat-based surveys — but only if the mission is planned correctly.
UAVs must fly strictly above water while still capturing full sonar coverage near the shoreline, avoiding obstacles, and maintaining data quality throughout the flight.
This course solves that challenge: it takes you from system assembly to verified, shareable bathymetric data, teaching you how to plan and execute reliable MBES survey missions using UgCS and SkyHub with the EchoNIMBUS-MBES payload.
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Hydrographic and land surveyors adding UAV-based bathymetry to their toolkit
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Drone service providers expanding into water-body mapping and inspection
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Engineers and technicians responsible for monitoring reservoirs, ports, rivers, and coastal infrastructure
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Survey teams already using UgCS who are adopting the EchoNIMBUS-MBES payload
Basic drone piloting knowledge and familiarity with UgCS fundamentals are recommended.
The course is not intended for complete beginners with no UAV experience, and it does not cover post-processing of bathymetric data in third-party hydrographic software — the focus is on mission planning, execution, and data verification.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
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Assemble and configure a UAV-based MBES system (drone + SkyHub + EchoNIMBUS-MBES) and verify it is ready for flight
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Perform a patch test to calibrate the multibeam sonar for accurate depth measurement
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Plan simple bathymetric survey missions in UgCS with correct line spacing, altitude, and speed for full sonar coverage
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Plan advanced missions that account for irregular shorelines and obstacles
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Execute survey missions safely, monitoring sonar data acquisition in real time
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Verify and review collected bathymetric data to confirm coverage and quality before leaving the survey site
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Share and publish survey results using DroneGIS
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Self-paced online course with video lessons and step-by-step demonstrations
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Practical focus: real mission planning examples in UgCS, from setup to data review
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Software and hardware covered: UgCS, SkyHub, EchoNIMBUS-MBES, DroneGIS
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Includes knowledge checks and a certificate after course completion
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Access to course materials for reference after completion
Hardware overview, mounting the EchoNIMBUS-MBES payload, SkyHub connection and setup, pre-flight system checks.
Why calibration matters, planning and flying a patch test, applying calibration results.
Survey area definition in UgCS, line spacing and swath coverage, altitude and speed selection, basic mission safety rules.
Working near shorelines and obstacles, keeping the UAV over water while maximizing near-shore coverage, optimizing flight paths for efficiency.
Field workflow, post-execution overview of sonar data, handling common in-flight issues.
Checking coverage and data quality on site, identifying gaps, deciding when a re-flight is needed.
Uploading, visualizing, and sharing survey results with stakeholders.
SELF-LED course
After completing the course, you will be able to run bathymetric surveys independently and with confidence — from simple lake transects to complex missions along irregular shorelines.
