APACHE 3 User Guide (Network Bridge Version)

APACHE 3 User Guide (Network Bridge Version)

Introduction

The APACHE 3 USV User Guide describes how to set up and use the CHC® APACHE 3 USV. In this manual, “the USV” refers to the APACHE 3 USV unless otherwise stated.
Even if you have used other Unmanned Surface Vessel before, CHC recommends that you spend some time reading this manual to learn about the special features of this product. If you are not familiar with USV, go to www.chcnav.com for an interactive look at CHC and USV safety information.

Warnings and Cautions

An absence of specific alerts does not mean that there are no safety risks involved. A Warning or Caution information is intended to minimize the risk of personal injury and/or damage to the equipment.


Regulations and Safety

The receivers contain a built-in wireless modem for signal communication through wireless technology. Regulations regarding the use of the wireless modem vary greatly from country to country. In some countries, the unit can be used without obtaining an end-user license. However, in some countries, the administrative permissions are required. For license information, consult your local dealer.

Before operating an APACHE 3 USV, determine if authorization or a license to operate the unit is required in your country.

Use and Care

This APACHE 3 is designed to withstand the rough environment that typically occurs in the field. However, the USV is high-precision electronic equipment and should be treated with reasonable care. 

1 Getting Started with APACHE 3

1.1 APACHE 3 brief introduction

Featuring triple-hulled and the shallow draught design, the APACHE 3 USV offers a portable remotely controlled platform in small lakes, inland rivers, and coastal water for bathymetric surveys. Its overall 1-meter length and 7 kg weight (without instrument) allows one person to operate the system easily.

Multiple data transfer options are available with RS232 connection and TCP protocols along with multi-channel and high bandwidth transmission. It can also carry single beam echo sounder, AP-2000 water quality and other instruments to meet diverse application requirements.

1.2 Product Basic Supply 





2. Hardware Installation

2.1 Preparing for conducting the survey

It is necessary to have an accumulator to supply power for external radio if you use external radio mode. Full charge the remote controller and batteries with standard charger. Figure 2-1 is about how to charge the batteries.


Firstly we connect the charger to the battery interface, pay attention to tighten the nut, and then connect to 220v AC power supply. When the battery is not connected, only the POWER LED of the charger lights up, the CHARGE LED lights up red when connected to the battery, and turns green when fully charged.

Maintenance instructions for batteries:
1. For the new arrival battery, please fully charge it as soon as possible.
2. Please charge the battery in time if the remaining power is less than 25% left.
3. Fully charged battery can be placed for 6 months. Please charge it in time if not being used.

2.2 Setup RTK Base Station and Onshore Data Receiving System

Set RTK base station:

1.External radio mode
Prepare GNSS Base receiver, external radio and transmitting antenna, tripod, etc. Configure base receiver to send RTCM3.2 via external radio.

2.Ntrip mode
For detailed operation, please check 3.3.4 Rover 


Check the accuracy of the rover station: Under the fixed solution state, compare the accuracy of the RTK rover station with the coordinates of the known points to ensure that the accuracy meets the measurement requirements before proceeding to the next operation.

2.3 Install Accessories for the USV System


2.3.1 Install the accessories of the boat






Note: Two large batteries are placed in the boat. Pay attention to the direction when installing the battery power detection interface.

2.3.2 Mount the accessories of the ground station



2.3.3 Debug before launching the boat

1). Boot the boat Turn on the switches on both sides of the boat. Pay attention to the lights on both sides, when the red satellite lights and green differential signal lights are always on, they are in normal working condition.

2). Turn on the remote control
The switch button is in the lower left corner. Press the key first, then long press quickly, and wait until the indicator lights up gradually, showing that it has been successful booted. The indicator light represents the power of the remote control. The operation of powering off the remote control shutdown is the same.


3). Debug the motors
Use the remote control to check whether the motors are working properly.

3 Software Operation for the USV System

3.1 Install the software

There are two software for the USV system, AutoPlanner and HydroSurvey. 1) When installing the AutoPlanner software, double-click the installation package, click Next until the installation driver and plug-in interface appears, tick ‘Install Tap Driver’ and ‘Install Ezopen Plugin’, and then click Next until the installation is OK.


2) When installing the HydroSurvey software, double-click the installation package and click Next until the installation is complete.

3.2 AP Software Configurations

3.2.1 Configure the computer IP





3.2.2 TCP Connection for AP Software

Double-click the AP software icon to open it, select [TCP], and click [Connect].


3.2.3 Plan Route for AP Software
(1）Connect the computer to the network, and load the surrounding satellite image maps through the positioning of the boat. Select [NAVIGATION PLAN] on the main interface, and select the appropriate satellite image map. Commonly used are Bing satellite maps and Google satellite maps.
(2）Plan work area
Right-click on the interface and select [Draw Polygon] → [Add Polygon Point].
Note:
1) The satellite image is not updated in real time, so pay attention to the actual area when planning the polygon.
2) The role of the home point: a. The home point is the return point. b. The logic for generating the automatic route is to generate the waypoint 1 near the home point, and the other waypoints are generated in sequence.




(3）Edit auto waypoints
Right click the interface and select [Auto WP]       [WP Grid].



[Angle]: Adjust the angle of the route.
[Distance between lines]: The distance between routes.
[Spacing inline]: The distance between points on the route, the value set should be greater than the true distance of the route, so as to ensure that there are only two points on a route. The automatic waypoint spacing here is not the same as the data collection spacing.

(4）Write waypoints to boat
[Save WP File]: Save the currently planned route to computer.
[Load WP File]: Load the WP file from computer.
[Read WP File]: Read the current mission waypoints from boat.
[Write WP File]: Write the planned waypoints data to the central control.



3.2.4 Login HD Camera for AP Software
a. Click [Navigation Data][Spread/Shrink Hud and Video][Intranet]

Username: admin
Password: Admin1234
IP: 192.168.53.64
Port: 8000

b. Click [Login][Play]





3.2.5 Other common functions for AP Software

1. Control USV via AP software


2. Useful functions
[Set WP]: Set a new waypoint quickly without clicking the navigation plan interface.
[Restart mission]:back to the first point and start a new mission.
[Clear track]:clear the track line of the interface you have run.
[Keep loiter]:change the state of the boat.



3. Convenient switch
      Now we can turn on the switch when you need in software instead of Web page.
      shoal: set a shoal depth to ensure your boat's safety.
      avoid obstacles: set a distance to ensure your boat will not crash into some objects in water.
      low power return: makes you boat return to home point automatically.
      lost connection and return: makes you boat return to home point automatically when your boat has lost connection for few times.

3.3 Webpage Setting for GD100
3.3.1 Login webpage
      connect the wifi of boat 
      Input 192.168.53.254 on the browser
      Username: admin
      Password: Admin1234 



3.3.2. Register the receiver

Click [Firmware][GNSS Registration]. Send the receiver SN to the dealer or sales branch to obtain the registration code. Enter and apply the correct registration code.



3.3.3. Configure the I/O of rover station

There are two kinds of working modes for rover station:
1) CORS mode.       2) Internal radio mode

1. Set CORS mode. Click [I/O Setting][RTK Client][Connect]. Select [Connection Protocol] as NTRIP protocol, input the CORS parameters. Then click [Confirm]. 



2. Set internal radio mode. [System Setup][Radio Settings]

  1. Enter the Radio Setting Tab via the Systems Setting tab to access the internal radio settings. It is recommended to have "auto start" set to on.
  2. Select the appropriate radio protocol that is compatible with your base station.
  3. By selecting Radio Frequency Channel 0 you can adjust the frequency to match your base.
  4. Select Save.
  5. You can confirm that you have a fixed state by checking the System Status page (see 3.3.6 below.)

3.3.5  Trimble Receiver Settings

If you are using a Trimble receiver as your base station, please follow these steps to set up the receiver to work with the USV:
  1. connect to your Trimble receiver via its Wifi (should be serial number, Trimble GNSS XXXX) and go to a web browser on your phone or computer.
  2. Type in: 192.168.142.1
  3. Username: admin - Password: password *Please note this username and password might differ if you have already logged in.
  4. Go to “Receiver Configuration”, “Reference Station” and set the antenna height to match what you measure in the field. Ensure you select the correct antenna measurement method:
  5. Go to “Reference Station” - here, we can manually input a lat/long/height if you have the Trimble receiver over a known position. 
  6. Go to “I/O Configuration” - ensure you select radio (to be sure we are using the internal radio of the Trimble receiver, and change CMR to RTCM 3.3.
  7. Select “Radio Configuration” under “Radio” to adjust the Trimbles internal radio settings. You want to select the radio as “transmit with no repeaters” (unless of course you ARE using an external radio).
  8. Set the current channel to a frequency that matches what the Apache is set to receive on, and select TRIMTALK 9600 as the wireless mode. Power level can be set as 2 watts to maximize range to the boat.
  9. Your Trimble receiver should now be transmitting and you should be getting an RTK FIX on your Apache boat.

3.3.6 System State

Click [Unmanned Ship Status][System State]

The status of USV, positioning status, battery status, sounder status, etc. can be viewed in this interface.


3.3.5 Firmware upgrade

We have updated the firmware frequently, you can upgrade the control firmware, host firmware and Echo Sounder control firmware when you need.


3.4 Set Hydrosurvey

3.4.1 New project and connect to the boat

1)Open HydroSurvey 7 , click on [Project] - [New Project].

"Project name" is default and can be renamed if you need. And it also can be saved as a template via clicking [Save coord template]. It is important to input the deviation if you perform the base shift.




3.4.2 Record control

As shown in the following figure 3-27, click on [Setting] – [Record control]. If [By Distance] is set to 1 M, a point will be recorded for every meter; if [By Time] is set to 1 S, a point will be recorded for every second; if [By Space] is ticked, a point will be recorded once you click the space bar.

In terms of Limitation selection, [Fixed] is recommended when RTK is used and [Float] is recommended when beacon is used.


3.4.3 start work
When the new projects, parameters, data, settings and other preparations are done well, data can be recorded.
①Choose  [measure mode]

③In order to facilitate post processing and prevent massive loss of data in unexpected cases, it is suggested to change a line every 300 or 500 points. ④When the data in the test area is measured, click on [stop] and then to save the project by clicking [Project] – [Save Project] before closing the software.


When the unmanned boat travels to the designated route to be measured, click [Measure] → [Start] then pop up the setting line information interface. The line name and line number are set by default. The auto switch selects 2000 points for automatic line change.

Click [Measure] → [End] after the measurement area task is completed. Stop here, you can start measuring your work.

3.4.4 Download depth file from boat (skip this step if you need not)

1. connect the wifi of boat(serial number of the boat)


Open a file maybe 'This PC' on your computer, and input IP:
ftp://192.168.53.254


3. Username: admin
Password: Admin1234 


4. copy the files from record2 file
dep files record the original data.
Sd files record the waveform.


5. process the dep files via Hydrosurvey




4 Data Processing

4.1 Water depth sampling

Water depth sampling is a process that correct the depth data and handle the wrong depth data. We will get a htt file including all data that can be select in the data export section after sampling. This process will be divided into four steps.

1. Correct the depth via sound velocity correction. Click [All], select [Correct] to get the edit interface.




As the figure 4-2 shows, there are three ways to correct the sound velocity: Single Sound velocity, Depth +Sound velocity, Depth+ Correction. Take the second method as an example
(1） Import the sound velocity file via clicking [Import] button, the format should be as follows:


The first column is depth, and the second one is the sound velocity.
(2) the imported sound velocity will be shown in the list.


(3) Calculate correction and apply it to all raw data.
Click [Correct] button, then it will pop up successfully applying information.

(4) Skip Delay correct and attitude correct
      The delay correct is the correction for GPS and depth transmission delay. The impact of time delay on bathymetric data can be reduced. The time delay value for the whole system is a fixed. Enter a known time delay value or calculate it via a special method if necessary. Hydrosurvey also support adjust the beam angle to recalculate depth. For more detail, please directly contact with technical support engineer of CHC.


2. Handle the depth data
Double click a depth file in the depth file list.


As the figure 4-6 shows, the green line on the top of main interface shows the elevation of surface of water and fixed state (yellow represent floating and red represent a single point), the main interface can be changed by adjusting the [Depth H]and [Width]. the green line displayed on the bottom interface shows depth, the red line is simulative echo signal. If these two match well, the depth can be trust and accurate. If not, just select the wrong depth points, then click[Eraser] to delete the points. It is suggested that the dep files should be handled in turns.

3. Select a proper[Interval]
Choose a interval for exporting the data. Select a value in the [interval] setting, then click [2.Interval] 


4. You also can change the interval via clicking [Manual] button.


5. Click [4.Export htt]
When the interval setting is complete, click [4.Export htt] to save htt files


4.2 Data export

Click on [Data processing] – [Data Export], Select the Htt files and choose a file type, there are some default format for option, and the format also can be modified via [Customer]. At last export data to desktop via clicking [Export].




Select the [Save Path] and click on [Export], the final result will be acquired.