Analysis of Crowdsourced Bathymetry Concept and It's Potential Implications on Safety of Navigation

Abstract

Crowdsourced bathymetry (CSB) is relatively new concept of collecting bathymetric data. CSB can be defined as the collection and sharing of depth data (and metadata) measured and collected by non-traditional survey vessels equipped with navigation instruments, while maintaining their usual operations at sea. International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) has developed Guidance on CSB. This document provides framework for data collection, processing and information about data uncertainty. IHO has also developed model within CSB concept in order to make standardization of CSB data. The data collected using CSB may represent valuable supplement to the existing data collected by hydrographic survey. Despite this fact it is necessary to emphasize that CSB data cannot be used as official data. CSB data collection has also potential legal issues due to the character of sounding passage within territorial and internal waters of coastal states. This paper emphasized the differences between hydrographic survey and CSB. Advantages and disadvantages are analyzed with it's potential implication on safety of navigation. Due to the CSB data collection model limitations, development of bathymetric data collection model on national level is recommended.

Keywords

• safety of navigation
• crowdsourced bathymetry (csb)
• bathymetry
• international hydrographic organization (iho)
• csb concept
• digital bathymetry
• general bathymetric chart of the oceans (gebco)
• multibeam echosounders (mbes)