CASE STUDY
Sea Machines Autonomy Enables DEA Marine Services to Increase Operational Productivity
May 4, 2021
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DEA Marine Services, a division of David Evans and Associates, Inc. (DEA), of Vancouver, Wash., has invested in and utilized Sea Machines Robotics’ autonomous command and remote helm control system aboard DEA survey vessels to more efficiently fulfil a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) contract to survey more than 60 square nautical miles of the West Galveston Bay. Approximately 15% of the total survey mileage was acquired autonomously. The Texas survey, a prototype mission for unmanned operations, posed numerous challenges to marine surveyors, including a large geographic area, variable shallows, numerous obstructions and unpredictable sea conditions. For DEA, Sea Machines’ innovative technology increased the operational productivity of the vessels involved.