Autonomous solutions are the future of seabed mapping as they are far more efficient than traditional methods of mapping. Autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) can be deployed from almost anywhere, with state-of-the-art guidance systems which make for better survey progress, and fewer infill lines. In addition to improvements in safety and data quality, the data from autonomous systems can be processed immediately, thus spotting issues early in the project and raising the efficiency of the survey process.

https://www.marinetechnologynews.com/news/autonomous-future-seabed-mapping-549603