Desert Star PILOT Operator's Manual

Precision underwater acoustic positioning system

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PILOT™

Precision Underwater Acoustic Positioning System

Operator's Manual

Version 4.1

March 2007

Desert Star Systems, LLC

3261 Imjin · Marina, CA 93933

(831) 384-8000 (831) 384-8062 FAX

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Page 1 PILOT™ Precision Underwater Acoustic Positioning System Operator’s Manual Version 4.1 March 2007 Desert Star Systems, LLC 3261 Imjin · Marina, CA 93933 (831) 384-8000 (831) 384-8062 FAX...
Page 3 1. Introduction PILOT™ is a Short Baseline acoustic tracking system. Its principal function is to track a ROV or other underwater vehicle. PILOT™ uses high frequency (34 kHz - 42 kHz) sound to track the ROV.
Page 4 Microsoft Windows PC running the DiveBase software. Figure 1.1 shows how PILOT works. The surface station is on the boat. The three cabled sonar transducers (acoustic antennas) are lowered over the side. The ROV transponder is mounted on the underwater vehicle.
Page 5 When operating from a larger vessel or the shore, you can often obtain survey (sub-meter) accuracy. In addition, tracking is available with PILOT even if the target is some distance away but just a fraction of a meter below the surface.
Page 6 Save images of the survey record Create the report document Make the survey record portable Pilot™ System Components The specific components included with the Pilot™ system will vary depending upon your configuration. Typical components include: 1 Mobile Station (A TLT, VLT, or DS mobile station)
Page 7: Installing The System
3. Installing the System These tasks should be done when you first receive the Pilot™ system. The first operation should be at an inactive test vessel in a quiet location – allow a day to install and learn how to use it.
Page 8: Prepare The Hardware
Connect the surface station to a PC and connect the surface station sonar transducer cables Test the noise levels Charge Station Batteries The STM-10, and VLT series transponders are equipped with rechargeable batteries. The TLT series transponders use replaceable alkaline batteries. The STM-1 is not equipped with a battery. Plug each station into the wall with the provided charging units, and turn them on (they will not charge ...
Page 9: Installing The Software
Triple blink once per Hardware error second Double-blink Station received a valid interrogate (mobile station) or reply (surface station) One sec on, 1 sec off Charge One sec on, 3 sec off Charge done Rapid blink Low battery No blink Station off or battery dead Table 3.1: Blink Pattern Meanings Installing the Software...
Page 10 The station must be placed properly. Keep the transducer away from ROV thrusters or other sources of noise. Ideally the transducer should be “ f ree and clear ” , i.e. the near space around it should not have anything in it that will obstruct or reflect the sound waves used by the system. For a diver...
Page 11: Setting Up The System
The quality of transducer mounting will directly affect the accuracy and range of PILOT. We strongly urge you to read, and understand, the information in this section.
Page 12 180 degrees. If the three transducers are employed in something approximating a straight line, PILOT will not be able to determine if the ROV is located to the left or the right of that line. The length of the baselines relates directly to the accuracy of the ROV direction provided by PILOT.
Page 13 Figure 5.2: A Sonar Transducer Is Lowered Over The Side Of The Surface Vessel The most common method of mounting the surface station sonar transducers is shown in figure 7.2. The cabled transducer is attached to a load carrying (strain relief) line and weighted down with a lead weight of about 5 kg (10 pounds).
Page 14 It will also tolerate low frequency noise, such as the hum of an engine or a generator. However a persistent high frequency noise source will raise a ‘curtain’ that PILOT may not be able to penetrate. ●...
Page 15 The positions of the surface station transducers are entered into DiveBase using the Register and Calibrate screen. The DiveBase software currently only works in meters so any measurements in feet must first be converted to Note: meters. T o convert feet to meters multiply the number of feet by 0.3048. Quick Conversion: 10 feet = 3 meters (approximately)...
Page 16 Figure 6.2: Entering Visibility PILOT™ is capable of ‘painting’ an ROV position trace, the width of which can correspond to the visibility. In cases where the surface station is static, or PILOT™ is operated in geo-referenced mode, this ‘painting of the sea floor’ is a powerful means to ensure complete survey coverage of a site.
Page 17 Common sources of underwater noise include passing boats, snapping shrimp and other biological noise, intensive rain or the sound of nearby breaking surface. By default, PILOT will simply adjust its sensitivity ‘to deal’ with whatever noise might be present. However, you can also conduct a noise test to find what noise is there, and then set the surface station detection threshold manually (the mobile station will always auto-adjust, as there is no link to control it manually during an operation).
Page 18: Operation
Repeat the procedure every once in a while, so you become familiar with the local noise patterns. In particular, do it when you have lost track even through the target is nearby. 6. Operation Overview: This section explains how to perform the tracking operations with Pilot™ Survey Tasks Start tracking...
Page 19: Appendix A: Troubleshooting
Each of these layers can be toggled on and off in the View menu or by using the control bar buttons. Panning and Zooming The vertical toolbar on the left side of the display has buttons for selecting panning and zooming tools.
Page 20 Noise Problems Acoustic or electric noise in the tracking environment will interfere with the signals used by the system. There are many sources of noise, including biological (snapping shrimp, etc…), ship engines, ROV motors, diver’s regulators, AC power lines, low quality inverters, etc… The best way to locate controllable noise is to use the noise test feature in the tracking software to monitor noise levels as you turn on and off the possible sources of noise.
Page 21 Position Indicator Constantly • A persistently large error indicates that the baseline survey is incorrect. Large Errors • If the number turns red, the system is not showing positions because the error exceeds the ‘maximum error’ defined in the filter settings. Constantly •...
Page 22: Appendix B: Hot Keys (Keyboard Shortcuts)
Appendix B: Hot Keys (Keyboard Shortcuts) Menu Command Function (if it’s not self-explanatory) Key(s) File Load Record File Ctrl+L Loads a record...
Page 23 Load Annotations Ctrl+A Loads an annotation file Load Waypoints Ctrl+W Loads a way point file Save Screen Image Saves currently selected screen image Save Annotations Saves the current annotation file Save Waypoints Saves the current way point file Clear Data / Screen Ctrl+C Clear all stored data from screen Close...
Page 24 Annotations Toggles Annotations on and off Status Info Toggles Status Info on and off Waypoints Toggles Waypoints on and off Replay Control Displays Replay Control Bar Item Graticule Settings Ctrl+G Allows changing of graticule (grid) settings Filter Settings Ctrl+F Allows adjustment of V isibility and other settings Add Annotation When in Tracking Mode, hit the SPACE...
Page 25 “T” START REALTIME TRACKING “C” Launch Baseline Register/Calibration Dialog CTRL+F Launch Filter Dialog (where you enter Visibility) “N” Launch Noise Test Dialog (only active during realtime tracking) Up Arrow Pan Up Down Arrow Pan Down Right Arrow Pan right Left arrow Pan left “I”...
Page 26: Appendix C: Toolbar Buttons
Add Quick Annotation (“4”) DELETE KEY DELETE Selected Annotation or WayPoint “E” END TRACKING Reporting “R” Replay Record CTRL+R Generate full report image (saves all items displayed) Ctrl+C CLEAR SCREEN CTRL+A LOAD ANNOTATIONS from file CTRL+W LOAD WAYPOINTS from file CTRL+L LOAD a RECORD Others...
Page 27: Appendix D: Additional Capabilities In Divebase Seafloor
Pointer Allows selection of annotations and waypoints. Translation/Panning Allows fine control over positioning of ship plan in Tool display. Click and drag to move image. Zoom Tool Allows fine control over zooming, click and drag a box to zoom to that box. Right click = zoom in, left click = zoom out.
Page 28 The main portion of this manual describes PILOT operation with the entry-level DiveBase PILOT software. The PILOT system can however also be used with the more sophisticated DiveBase Seafloor software, which provides additional capabilities to support underwater survey operations. DiveBase PILOT (left) and DiveBase Seafloor screen with additional capabilities (right) The picture shows the substantial additional capabilities of the DiveBase Seafloor version.
Page 29 PC, DiveBase can determine the geo-referenced (UTM) position of your (only used in target. This capability is only used in short baseline (PILOT) mode. See the PILOT SBL PILOT manual for details. You are now capable of using GPS to coordinate...
Page 30 Image annotations associate observations with location, time and depth Text and picture annotations are used to associate underwater observations with the location, time and depth of the observation. The observation may be a textual description only, or an image with a textual description.
Page 31 Entering an annotation To enter an annotation a t the current location of the target , just hit the space bar or choose I tem → Add Annotation and fill in the appropriate information when the Annotation Window pops up. Another method of entering an annotation is to right click, with the mouse, on the image where you would like to place the annotation and enter your text.
Page 32 In these Screen dumps it shows each step except the F ile command. In steps 4-7 the corresponding screens have been combined. In S tep 4 and 5 each has it’s own “Point Selection” screen and once you select for Point 1 it will flow into a second screen for Point 2. As well, in S tep 6 and 7...
Page 33 any point east. If you chose the second of the two your task can be made out much easier. For example, if you were working on a dock in a harbor you can make one end “north” and another “east” so that when the image is overlaid in SeaFloor the dock forms a right angle. By doing so, this gives the user a simple way of explaining to someone in the water where he is or needs to be.