NPS SUBMERGED RESOURCES CENTER
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SeaArray
SeaArray Underwater Photogrammetry System
The SeaArray is a diver-operated, multi-camera underwater photogrammetry system developed by the National Park Service Submerged Resources Center in partnership with Marine Imaging Technologies. Designed to rapidly document submerged cultural and natural resources, SeaArray produces high-resolution 3D models, orthomosaics, and digital twins of underwater sites with exceptional accuracy.
Built for Large-Scale Mapping
SeaArray combines three synchronized Nikon Z7 full-frame mirrorless cameras fitted with 14 mm f/2.8 Rokinon lenses, custom underwater housings, and an integrated camera control system. Mounted on a lightweight carbon-fiber frame around a diver propulsion vehicle (DPV), the system allows divers to efficiently survey areas ranging from individual archaeological features to multiple hectares of seafloor.
High-Speed Data Capture
SeaArray is capable of collecting up to 10,800 synchronized 45.7-megapixel images per hour, producing datasets of more than 21,000 images during a single dive. A custom controller synchronizes camera operation while providing real-time monitoring, camera settings control, battery status, and integrated vacuum and leak detection.
Expanding the Limits of Underwater Documentation
By dramatically increasing the amount of imagery collected during a dive, SeaArray has transformed underwater photogrammetry from documenting individual sites to mapping entire underwater landscapes. The system routinely achieves greater than 98% image alignment, producing highly accurate 3D models that support archaeology, cultural heritage preservation, natural resource management, scientific research, and public interpretation.
Today, SeaArray's greatest limitation is no longer dive time—it is the storage and computing power required to process the massive datasets it produces.
