New Release: HYSPEC Version 2.0 Now Available
New Zealand's Updated HYSPEC Specification Enhances Hydrographic Surveys
Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) has recently updated its hydrographic survey specification, HYSPEC, to improve survey accuracy, data quality, and operational clarity. First published in 1998, HYSPEC is a New Zealand technical specification based on the International Hydrographic Organization's Standards for Hydrographic Surveys.
The latest revision, published in 2020, marks a significant overhaul of the content. LINZ reviewed standards and specifications from other hydrographic offices, including Norway, Australia, UK, US, and the draft version of IHO S-44 6th Edition, to ensure the updated HYSPEC aligns with international best practices.
One of the key changes in the updated version is the move towards a digital first, data-centric environment. Survey deliverables have moved away from traditional hard copy sounding sheets and now require bathymetric surfaces and vector point/line/area information in IHO S-57 format with S-100 ready metadata.
Enhanced Accuracy and Positioning Requirements
Stricter requirements have been introduced for vessel positioning systems, including GNSS standards and integration of inertial navigation systems (INS) to improve horizontal and vertical positional accuracy. More detailed specifications on tide and water level measurements have also been included to ensure consistent vertical referencing.
Modernized Survey Equipment Standards
Updated guidelines for multibeam echo sounders (MBES) performance, calibration, and data acquisition methods have been incorporated into the latest HYSPEC. Additionally, requirements for side-scan sonar and sub-bottom profiling systems where applicable have been included.
Data Quality and Validation Protocols
The updated version of HYSPEC introduces refined data quality procedures, including statistical analysis and outlier rejection to ensure data reliability. Enhanced procedures for sounding density and line spacing based on survey depth and purpose have also been included.
Improved Survey Planning and Reporting
Detailed requirements for pre-survey planning, risk assessment, and vessel trackline design have been added to optimize coverage and efficiency. Standardized reporting formats for survey deliverables, including metadata, accuracy assessments, and ancillary data, have also been introduced.
Updated Safety and Environmental Considerations
Specific guidance on safe navigation during survey operations in restricted or environmentally sensitive areas has been included. Recommendations for minimizing environmental impact during survey activities have also been provided.
Alignment with International Standards
Adjustments have been made to ensure HYSPEC aligns more closely with IHO (International Hydrographic Organization) standards, particularly S-44 for Hydrographic Surveys.
Over the past two years, LINZ has trialled HYSPEC v2.0 with its hydrographic survey panel of suppliers. The updates were intended to reflect technological advances, lessons learned from previous surveys, and evolving operational needs of hydrographic surveys in New Zealand waters.
Since 1996, LINZ has been tasked by the New Zealand Government to manage the Crown's core hydrographic services, including hydrographic surveying. LINZ was one of the first Hydrographic Offices to contract out survey work and was instrumental in establishing a hydrographic specification for out-sourcing surveys. LINZ continues to keep an eye on future developments, emerging technologies, and processes to futureproof its specifications and lead good practice.
HYSPEC includes a section on 'Survival in Remote Locations' and has been instrumental in the development of hydrographic surveys that now include technologies such as Satellite Derived Bathymetry, Airborne Laser Bathymetry, Unmanned Surface Vessels, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Since 2015, LINZ has partnered with other organizations to fund the collection of seafloor and water column backscatter datasets.
In 1999, LINZ published the Hydrographic MBES Survey Standards, a world-first specification for the acquisition, management, and delivery of multibeam data. LINZ developed a hydrographic and bathymetric strategy in recognition of the need to define the shape and depth of the seabed within New Zealand's Exclusive Economic Zone and the Ross Sea.
For more detailed information or exact sections of the 2020 HYSPEC update, feel free to ask. The updates aim to improve the accuracy, data quality, and operational clarity of hydrographic surveys in New Zealand waters, reflecting technological advances and the evolving needs of the industry.
- The updated HYSPEC specification, a key document for hydrographic surveys in New Zealand, aligns more closely with international best practices by considering standards and specifications from hydrographic offices like Norway, Australia, UK, US, and the draft version of IHO S-44 6th Edition.
- One of the key changes in the updated HYSPEC version is a shift towards a digital first, data-centric environment, where survey deliverables require bathymetric surfaces and vector point/line/area information in IHO S-57 format with S-100 ready metadata.
- In an effort to improve survey accuracy, the updated HYSPEC introduces stricter vessel positioning system requirements, including GNSS standards and integration of inertial navigation systems (INS) for enhancing horizontal and vertical positional accuracy.
- To promote safety and environmental considerations, the updated HYSPEC offers specific guidance on safe navigation during survey operations in restricted or environmentally sensitive areas and provides recommendations for minimizing environmental impact during survey activities.
