A TBoat survey plan should define the deliverable and acceptance checks before a vessel is launched. This checklist helps survey teams review positioning, depth observations, water conditions and the records needed for an office handover. It is a planning guide, not a claim about a completed customer project.
Start with the survey requirement
Write down the survey area, expected depth, required coverage, coordinate reference system and vertical reference. Agree how the client will accept the work. A depth profile, a surface model and a navigation survey can require different methods; selecting a boat does not establish that the complete system meets those requirements.
The TBoat USV hydrographic survey solution introduces the workflow. Review the current vessel and sensor configuration against your own specification, rather than treating a general product description as an acceptance standard.
Six checks before launching
- Vessel and site: inspect the hull, power, propulsion and launch area. Review weather, currents, obstructions, local operating rules and recovery arrangements. Assign responsibility for the operation.
- Positioning: confirm the correction source, communications, antenna reference and coordinate profile. Record the positioning status and the independent checks required by the project.
- Sensor installation: record the transducer draft and relevant offsets. Confirm the equipment settings, time alignment and logging connections before collection.
- Water and depth references: plan the sound-speed observations and water-level corrections appropriate to the task. GNSS positioning accuracy alone does not prove depth accuracy.
- Line plan: set coverage, speed and check-line arrangements that fit the sensor and deliverable. Confirm what the team will do if coverage or observations are incomplete.
- Data recovery: verify a short test recording, storage space, file names and the export format. Check that the office can open the actual recorded files.
Choose the configuration around the job
The TBoat10 product page provides a starting point for vessel information and documentation. For selection questions, use the TBoat10 versus TBoat20 guide. Confirm the supplied payload, software, communications and regional availability with the team before ordering.
The echo sounder also changes the collection plan. Single-beam observations describe depth along planned lines; multibeam operation introduces additional coverage and integration requirements. The river-survey echo sounder guide separates instrument specifications from the checks needed for a survey result.
Keep a reviewable field record
Record the operator, date, site, vessel and sensor configuration, correction source, installation offsets, environmental observations and line identifiers. Preserve interruptions and rejected observations as part of the record. A repeated line or a check observation can reveal a problem, but it does not automatically prove that every part of the survey is acceptable.
If positioning becomes unreliable, communications are interrupted or results fall outside the agreed tolerance, pause and investigate. Do not continue solely because a map display still appears plausible. Follow the manufacturer’s operating guidance and the project’s safety and quality procedures.
Prepare the office handover
- Raw observations and navigation records.
- Installation, positioning, sound-speed and water-level records appropriate to the survey.
- Coverage and check-line review, including any gaps or rejected data.
- Coordinate and vertical reference definitions.
- Processing settings, output files and unresolved questions.
NOAA’s hydrographic standards and requirements are a useful public reference for understanding survey documentation. They do not certify a TOKNAV product or replace the standard specified for your project.
Frequently asked questions
Do customer photos demonstrate survey accuracy?
No. Photos can show equipment preparation or use. Without verified project details and survey records, they should not be presented as proof of coverage, accuracy or a completed deliverable.
Does a fixed RTK solution prove the depth measurement is correct?
No. Depth observations also depend on the sensor, installation, timing, sound speed, vertical references and processing.
What should I send when requesting a configuration?
Share the country, water environment, approximate depth, intended deliverable, positioning method and preferred sensor. If an acceptance specification exists, include its relevant requirements.
Review a TBoat survey configuration
Use the TBoat configuration enquiry to discuss those requirements with TOKNAV before choosing the vessel and payload.