France''s MaxSea has introduced version 10.3.3 of its 3D display system which, it says, will help in the battle to maintain profitability for the commercial fishing industry in the face of diminished stock, restrictive regulations and increased competition. It says it has built on the MaxSea''s easy-to-use PC-based navigation system, to give sophisticated simplicity for real-time 3D charting. The resolution of the display has been increased and it says this makes it the "most accurate affordable 3D charting system available," showing not only the hardness, but also the roughness of the bottom in relation to the contour, along with forecasted ocean currents and sea surface temperatures in transparency on top of electronic navigation charts.
This is achieved through its Personal Bathymetric Generator (PBG) which collects "live" depth measurements directly from the vessel's sounder and translates them into a vivid 3D picture of the bottom contour. Each pass over an area is stored and helps build up the 3D image. There is a colour adjustment to increase clarity and the image can be manipulated to be viewed from different angles, MaxSea added.
MaxSea claim their system offers better data than other systems with a bottom accuracy down to 1.5m x 1.5m and a depth accuracy of 1/10th of an inch depending on the sounder. Geo-referencing and depth precision of the soundings are improved through the use of adjustments to eliminate variations caused by the location of the transducer relative the GPS antenna. Automatic filters are also employed to correct for tidal fluctuations and errant soundings created by passing schools of fish. MaxSea uses a picture of a 9,000 tonne cargo wreck to advertise the accuracy of the images. It says it has helped a New England fisherman locate lost trawl doors and it has been able to spot cases of illegal drugs dropped by smugglers. A cooperative data-sharing programme has created a 3D database which MaxSea makes available for a small fee to all who participate by inputting their own data.
