FarSounder 3D’s New Feature: Local History Mapping (Sneak Peek Video)

To date, FarSounder’s 3D FLS products have operated purely as real time navigation and obstacle avoidance sonars. Our user interface software includes an overlay of the real time sonar imagery on top of a standard nautical chart.

FarSounder is announcing its newest feature: Local History Mapping (LHM)™.  

LHM offers users the ability to build a 3D map of the seafloor over which they have recently sailed. This map is updated with every ping and is displayed as an overlay on top of the system’s nautical chart display. This new overlay is displayed in conjunction with the real-time sonar overlay.

When used together, one can quickly see what lies ahead and what they’ve recently passed over. LHM capabilities will be included as part of its standard navigation sonar software starting with SonaSoft 3.3.

(Preview of FarSounder’s new Local History Mapping™ capability. This feature will be part of the new functionality in FarSounder’s upcoming software release. Courtesy of FarSoundder and YouTube)

Since FarSounder 3D forward-looking sonars have a wide horizontal field-of-view ahead of the vessel, a single pass of a FarSounder sonar with LHM can survey a much wider swath of the seafloor than with a standard echosounder.

In addition, the large coverage zone from a single ping results in a huge overlapping area from one ping to the next. This means that vessel operators will not have to worry about missing any obstacles between pings.

Due to the unique performance characteristics of FarSounder’s forward-looking sonar systems, Local History Mapping is based on a bathymetric survey engine that was developed in-house from the ground up. 

Farsounder
Local History Mapping in a Variety of Locations

The Company has also invested heavily in the database infrastructure associated with the storage and integration of large survey datasets. These investments will accelerate the release of additional bathymetric mapping capabilities.

Existing FarSounder customers who wish to add Local History Mapping to systems are encouraged to fill out FarSounder’s Software Update Request form. New customers will automatically receive these capabilities when their FarSounder-500 or FarSounder-1000 sonars are set up and commissioned.

FarSounderFarSounder, is a U.S. based high technology marine electronics manufacturer specializing in underwater acoustics. With unique patented technology, the company has a global customer base of commercial, government, and private sector users.

The company is the recognized leader in real time 3D sonar systems and has been selling its flagship navigation and obstacle avoidance systems since 2004.

FarSounder’s product lines includes its Ship Protection System, which followed years of both IR&D and U.S. government funded research.

The 2015 Tibbetts Award winning FarSounder Ship Protection System is for those owner/operators who demand the best solutions for assuring the safety of their passengers and crew. The system provides detection, classification, and alarms of underwater threats. Portside, platform, and shore based systems are also available for waterfront security.