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The use of multispectral satellite imagery for mapping shallow waters is well-known and was presented at the Remote Hydrography conference in 2022. Over the past two years, significant technological advancements have been made in automating the underlying SDB methods and workflows. This automation has culminated in the latest version of the web application, SDB-Online, which not only enables mapping but, of equal importance, facilitates the monitoring of coastal shallow water zones. The workflow is hosted on an AWS cloud environment, directly linked to the satellite data archive. By harnessing Copernicus satellite data, this solution continuously generates high-frequency, high-resolution shallow water bathymetric data spanning the past decade. We will demonstrate this with live examples and highlight the coastal dynamics of very nearshore areas that couldn’t have been adequately mapped before. While it doesn’t eliminate the fundamental physical limitations of Satellite-Derived Bathymetry technology, such as the dependence on turbidity, it unleashes a highly powerful tool for mapping and monitoring substantial portions of the world’s coastal regions. Environmental limitations will be illustrated on a global map, showcasing the potential of the web application and SDB methods in general.

These developments were co-funded by the European Horizon 2020 project ‘4S,’ a collaborative effort between international industry and academia. This project also addresses another crucial aspect, namely the demand from numerous bathymetric data stakeholders for the highest possible resolution. Project partners EOMAP, Fugro, and Instituto Hidrográfico, all involved in ‘4S,’ tackled this issue by using drones equipped with multispectral cameras
(configured similarly to those on satellites), and precise positioning. The analytical bathymetric process was reconfigured to allow multispectral drone imagery to be used as input for the Satellite-Derived Bathymetry processing pipeline. The results have been applied in Portugal and the German Baltic region, yielding bathymetric grids with resolutions ranging from 5 to 20cm. Moreover, the bathymetric data can be integrated with structure-from-motion-derived information on land height, and we are presenting topo-bathy data for the first time.

 

Knut Hartmann

Knut is passionate about all aspects of mapping and monitoring our coastal zones with satellite and data analysis. He is COO at EOMAP and has the pleasure of working with a team of highly qualified experts on this matter. Knut has a higher degree in geoecology and holds a PhD in natural sciences. He has provided capacity building on aquatic earth observation and bathymetry and supports global and regional hydrographic initiatives in all aspects of satellite-based bathymetry. Before joining EOMAP a decade ago, he worked in the geospatial department of an engineering firm and as a researcher at a federal research center.

 

Mona Reithmeier

Mona is an expert in Remote Sensing with several years of experience in aquatic applications, data analysis and product development. As EO data analyst at EOMAP, she has finished several commercial mapping projects around the globe, focusing on Satellite Derived Bathymetry (SDB) and Seafloor Classification (SFC). Supported by a team of physicists and IT specialists, she serves as product manager to coordinate the development and go-to-market strategy of the new WebApp SDB-Online. Mona holds a MSc in Physical Geography at the University of Munich and joined EOMAP in 2021. Prior to joining EOMAP, she worked as a research assistant at the University of Munich.

Kim Knauer

Kim is a remote sensing specialist with advanced knowledge and experience in satellite imagery applications, data analysis and workflow automation. At EOMAP, he works as a project manager and EO data analyst within several commercial and R&D projects around the globe. Supported by a team of geographers, physicists and IT experts, he is responsible for the development and supervision of projects and for the derivation and analysis of bathymetric information, seafloor as well as land use classifications. He received his diploma and later PhD at the University of Wuerzburg, Germany, both in the field of remote sensing of terrestrial vegetation. Directly after his studies, he worked for one year at the public research institute Gabriel Lippmann in Luxemburg. Since 2017, he has been working for EOMAP leading ESA and EU projects of with large consortia like 4S or Blue-X.

Carlos R Videira Marques

Commander Carlos Rubrio Marques, (M) MscEng in Geodesy and Geomatics from the University of New Brunswick, is a Navy Officer, since 1998, he is an Informatics Engineer with a degree (five years Pre¬Bologna degree) from the Universidade Nova de Lisboa. He has been working in the Instituto Hidrográfico since 2007, having been a surveyor, Lead Surveyor, researcher, Head o Hydrographic Surveys, and now Head of Hydrography and Cartography and still in Hydrographic Project Management. He is currently lecturing Hydrography at the Hydrographic and Oceanographic School in the Instituto Hidrográfico. He
has been researching water column object detection since 2012, and is now researching Satellite Derived Bathymetry for the Hydrographic Division at the Instituto Hidrográfico.

Manfred Stender

Manfred is Business Development Manager at Fugro Germany Marine GmbH. After graduating in Geophysics (majoring in Marine Geophysics) from the University of Hamburg in 1988, Manfred started his professional career as system operator on board the German research vessel “FS Meteor”. This included the support of different geophysical and hydrographic equipment and the consultation of the embarked science groups in their use. After three years on board and a change to shore, further appointments as Sales and Service manager as well as Project Manager in the market area Oceanography / Geophysics
/ Meteorology followed before Manfred joined OSAE GmbH (later Fugro Germany Marine GmbH) in 2000.20 years with the company followed, thereof 13 years as Operations Manager and Project Manager. Manfred currently works as Business Development Manager and Senior Survey Consultant.