Autonomous Underwater Ground Vehicles (AUGVs) are emerging as powerful tools for bridging the persistent survey gap between land and sea, especially in dynamic nearshore environments. This presentation focuses on field-based operational insights from the deployment of the Bayonet 350 AUGV during a large-scale beach nourishment project over 30 days on the Florida Gulf Coast. The vehicle was integrated into the survey workflow to support RTK topographic data collection across the surf zone — an area traditionally underserved by manned or vessel-based survey methods.
The deployment evaluated the AUGV’s stability, positioning accuracy, and efficiency under active construction conditions. Operational procedures were developed for RTK mast setup, check-in against survey monuments, and integration with surveyor workflows. The platform enabled survey coverage from dry sand to depths of 16 ft (4.9 m), operating effectively in up to 5 ft (1.5 m) wave heights while reducing personnel risk and improving shore side coverage and availability to augment the vessel-based hydrographic reliance.
Key challenges include developing SOPs and training rotating operational crews, maintaining RTK correction signal integrity, data collection workflow utilizing range-limited Bluetooth, and field logistics such as wash-down, charging, and transport. The study also presents a preliminary operational wave height vs. depth envelope derived using a simplified Morison-based mast loading model. Results demonstrate the AUGV’s potential to enhance coastal resilience projects by enabling safer, faster, and more comprehensive data acquisition in surf-exposed zones.
