CARICOOS participated in a U.S. Coast Guard Area Committee drill, testing a scanning sonar system to assist in the planning and execution of response and recovery protocols. The exercise was conducted in the San Juan Bay, where two main channels were mapped to provide images of objects located on the sea floor.

Emergency responders often conduct difficult underwater searches to locate submerged vessels or boats, weapons, drowning victims, debris, among other objects of interest. To conduct the searches, emergency responders typically count on search and rescue divers or underwater cameras, which can be time-consuming and cover a limited area. Therefore, to overcome these operational challenges, they prefer to use scanning sonar technology for underwater inspections. This technology provides the user with an image of underwater areas quickly and efficiently and can be used in any body of water (i.e., river, sea, harbor, bay).

Photographs illustrating: (a) CARICOOS boat; (b) GPS/sonar display and processing unit; and (c) processing unit and transducer.

The scanning sonar system used during the exercise included a low-cost small adjustable transducer deployed from CARICOOS boat and a GPS/sonar display and processing unit. To detect a submerged object, the system transmits a sound pulse downward and sideways in a fan shape, creating high-resolution, 180-degree underwater images with a capability to reach up to 183 meters to either side of the boat.  The use of high-quality scanning sonar system allows for mapping large areas of the sea floor. The use of a small boat allows better handling and piloting and can be rapidly deployed.

Scanning sonar mosaics of: (a) of a submerged boat and (b) of concrete pile on the Puerto Nuevo Channel.

During the port recovery exercise, a variety of objects and features were identified. As an example, in the scanning sonar imaging a submerged boat and a section of the concrete piles next to the Puerto Nuevo channel were detected. The acquired high quality imagery and the identified objects ensure the capability of the scanning sonar system to improve the logistics of U.S. Coast Guard emergency responders and allows to conduct a wide underwater search area in a short amount of time.  Furthermore, the technology installed on CARICOOS boat provides an affordable and flexible system, capable of assisting emergency responders in any responder-relevant task.