OceanPact Tech recently conducted an unprecedented remote survey off the northeast coast of Brazil to obtain high-quality data and high-resolution color images of the region in which the Portuguese galleon Santa Rosa sank in 1726. The information obtained provides new details about the area and will contribute to future archaeological investigations.

The operation, commissioned by maritime salvage company Salvanav, was conducted in March off the coast of the states of Pernambuco and Paraíba, marking OceanPact Tech’s first remote mission. During the 14-day campaign, more than 70 underwater deployments took place, covering strategic points and generating unprecedented data on the morphology of the seabed.

For the mission, the company used a micro autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) equipped with side scan sonar (680 kHz), doppler velocity log navigation sensors, an internal inertial unit and a camera to capture high-quality images. This equipment allowed for accurate mapping of the area and detailed documentation of the submerged historical remains.

“The operation went as planned and confirmed OceanPact Tech’s operational capability in the use of autonomous underwater vehicles. The AUV operated at constant depths between two and 12 meters below the surface, enabling the acquisition of very high-resolution data,” said Leonardo Barreira, OceanPact Tech’s director.

Based on the results obtained, a new campaign is already in the planning stage.