Counting the cost of multi-beam sounders

摘要

Much has been made of the very high quality survey data that can be acquired using the latest generation of multi-beam echosounders, and slowly but surely more ports are adopting them. In the offshore industry, multi-beam sonars have become the norm, but of the port hydrographers to whom PdI spoke, most readily agree that while multi-beam echo sounders — and other types of technically sophisticated sonars such as swathe sounders and sidescan sonars — have much to offer, it is difficult to justify the cost effectiveness of these more expensive devices.