a brand of UAV-DEV GmbHSand & gravel pits
Remaining volume, extraction progress, slope angles and evidence for authorities, repeatable at fixed intervals.
Hydrographic survey
Depth maps and 3D models of the bottom.
We survey your waters with the SensorBoat (bathymetry, sounding, hydrographic survey) and deliver fully processed data: depth grid, contour lines, 3D mesh, volume and report. You provide access to the water, we do the rest.
Survey line · RTK georeferenced
Process
From enquiry to finished map.
Enquiry & planning
You send us location, size and purpose of the survey. We plan survey lines, sensor choice and the survey day and quote a fixed price.
Survey on site
The SensorBoat runs the lines autonomously, RTK GNSS georeferences every depth point. On request a drone flies the orthophoto in parallel.
Processing
We clean the raw data, correct sound velocity and water level and compute grid, contours, mesh and volume.
Delivery
You receive the data in your format plus a short report with key figures and map extracts. We answer follow-up questions directly.
Reference
Sand pit under wet extraction, northern Germany
Survey of the active extraction area of a sand pit with a multibeam echo sounder, combined with a drone orthophoto. Goal: depth model and volume for extraction planning.
shallowdeep· Colour relief of the bottom, scale 150 m
26 June 2026Survey day, one morning
> 1.1 milliongeoreferenced depth points
~4 hautonomous survey lines
< 6 mwater depth, mostly very shallow
What the customer received
A depth model of the surveyed area as grid and point cloud, contour lines at half-metre intervals, the volume between the current bottom and the target horizon, and the orthophoto as map base. The survey lines are still visible in the relief. Their spacing is chosen so that the multibeam swath covers the area without gaps.
The water depth here was mostly below 6 m, very shallow. Because the swath of a multibeam echo sounder widens with depth, shallow waters need closely spaced survey lines. The deeper the lake, the wider the line spacing and the faster the area is surveyed.
Acquired with SonarView, processed in ReefMaster and QGIS. Other formats and evaluations on request.
Deliverables
Data that fits your software.
XYZ · CSV · LASPoint cloudAll cleaned depth points with position, depth and timestamp
GEOTIFF · ASCDepth grid (DEM)Interpolated bottom model with selectable cell size
DXF · SHP · GPKGContour linesIsobaths at the interval you need, ready for CAD and GIS
OBJ · STL · PLY3D meshTextured model for visualisation and planning
PDF · XLSXVolume & reportVolume to target horizon, difference to the previous survey, key figures
GEOTIFF · JPGSide-scan mosaicGeoreferenced sonar imagery for object search and inspection
Applications
Where the SensorBoat is used.
Harbours & berths
Target depth checks, sedimentation in front of quay walls and in harbour entrances, sounding before and after dredging.
Retention basins & reservoirs
Silting, loss of storage volume and sludge levels, also in basins without a boat ramp. The SensorBoat is carried by two people.
Lakes & ponds
Depth maps for bathing and fishing lakes, pond systems and nature reserves: silting, sediment thickness and baseline survey before restoration or desludging.
Treatment plants & industrial basins
Sludge distribution in secondary clarifiers and lagoons, without staff on the water and without interrupting operations.
Object search & inspection
Side-scan imagery for wrecks, lost objects, pipelines and structure foundations.
FAQ
Questions about hydrographic surveys
What does a survey with the SensorBoat cost?
The price depends on water area, water depth, required resolution and deliverables. After your enquiry with location and approximate area you receive a fixed-price quote within a few days. For small sand pits and basins one morning of surveying is often enough.
Which waters can be surveyed?
Standing and slow-flowing waters: sand and gravel pits under wet extraction, dredging lakes, harbours and berths, retention basins, reservoirs, treatment plant basins, ponds and lakes. Waters with strong currents are not suitable. The SensorBoat is carried by two people and needs no slipway.
How accurate are the depth maps?
The position of every depth point is determined by RTK GNSS at centimetre level. Depth is measured by a multibeam or single-beam echo sounder. Sound velocity and water level are corrected during processing. The result is a bathymetry suitable for volume calculation, sounding and extraction planning.
Which data do I receive after the survey?
Point cloud (XYZ, CSV, LAS), depth grid as GeoTIFF, contour lines as DXF or shapefile, a 3D mesh, volume calculation and a short report as PDF. On request additionally a drone orthophoto of the shoreline and a side-scan mosaic.
How fast is a survey?
The SensorBoat runs about 12 hours per battery charge and covers a sand pit of about ten hectares with a multibeam echo sounder in one morning. The deeper the water, the wider the swath and the faster the area is covered.
Want your waters surveyed?
Send us location, approximate area and purpose. You will receive a fixed-price quote within a few days.