This article was published in cooperation with the Japan UAS Industrial Development Association (JUIDA).
Penta Ocean Construction (President Takuzo Shimizu) and Prodrone Co., Ltd. (President Shunsuke Toya) have jointly developed the ‘Penta Ocean Vanguard-Drone Aqua (POV-DA)’, an innovative marine research drone capable of taking off, landing, and navigating at sea.
The POV-DA is designed for smooth surface operations, equipped with a high-precision GNSS satellite system, thrusters, and bathymetric sonar. According to a Penta Ocean press release, the drone can transmit and display real-time data on its current position (X, Y, Z coordinates) and water depth to the operator on land via a remote control console. The drone uses thrusters to navigate to a specific monitoring point and maintains its position despite waves and swells. These features enable efficient and automated bathymetric surveying and wave observation.
sounding
In construction projects involving breakwaters, quay walls and similar structures, depth surveys have traditionally been conducted using dedicated boat or lead sounding methods. With the introduction of POV-DA, the time required for depth surveys has been significantly reduced. Real-time data transmission allows operators to monitor underwater construction progress and assess the need for additional soil dumping. The team confirmed that the depth survey accuracy of POV-DA is within +/-10cm of conventional methods, making it suitable for practical construction management.
Wave observation
Marine construction management and safety often rely on weather and ocean forecast data and wave height measurements near the project site. They are also used to assess project feasibility by visual inspection from the shoreline. POV-DA provides real-time wave height and period data derived from GNSS readings, allowing construction managers to assess site conditions more quickly and accurately. Drone measurements have been shown to differ by less than +/-10% compared to traditional wave gauges, demonstrating reliability for construction applications.
In addition to improving construction management efficiency and feasibility assessment, POV-DA can also provide real-time updates on land and underwater damage by taking aerial photos for emergency support in the event of a disaster.
Future improvements to POV-DA could include additional equipment, such as multi-parameter water quality meters and water sampling devices, expanding its application scope to comprehensive oceanographic observations in coastal environmental protection and construction projects.
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Miriam McNab is the editor-in-chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinating observer of the emerging drone industry and the drone regulatory landscape. Miriam has written over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone sector and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam holds a degree from the University of Chicago and has over 20 years of experience in high-tech sales and marketing for emerging technologies.
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