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SfM Quantitative Underwater Imaging Device with 5 cameras (SQUID-5) – Field data from periodic surveys of the Florida Keys and other select shallow water environments

Published by U.S. Geological Survey | Department of the Interior | Metadata Last Checked: January 27, 2026 | Last Modified: 2023-11-29T00:00:00Z
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Remote Sensing Coastal Change (RSCC) and Processes Impacting Seafloor Change and Ecosystem Services (PISCES) projects collect underwater imagery of coral reefs and other scientifically interesting, submerged environments using the novel SfM (Structure-from-Motion) Quantitative Underwater Imaging Device with 5 cameras (SQUID-5) system. This sensor collects imagery with optimized endlap/sidelap and precise position information to create high-resolution orthomosaics, three-dimensional (3D) point clouds, and digital elevation/surface models (DEMs/DSMs) using SfM photogrammetry methods. These products are valuable for measuring submerged topographic and ecological change, and for understanding reef vulnerability and response to disturbance events. This is an ongoing collection of underwater imagery surveys of coral reefs and other clear water environments. Shallow water (approximately 2-10 meters [m] depth) digital imagery is acquired using the "SfM Quantitative Underwater Imaging Device with 5 cameras" (SQUID-5) towed surface sensor system. The system consists of five synchronized rigidly connected downward-looking digital cameras with overlapping views of the seafloor, along with a custom integrated survey-grade Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver.

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