Precision Below the Surface

Hydrographic
Survey
Excellence

Expert hydrographic survey consulting, fieldwork leadership, and competency-based training — backed by over three decades of operational experience across coastal, riverine, and offshore environments.

31+
Years of
Field Experience
IHO
Standards
Compliant
360°
Survey &
Training Services
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About Deepak Kaira

Three Decades.
One Discipline.

Starting as a Survey Tech aboard Indian Naval Hydrographic ships in 1994, Deepak has progressed through every tier of hydrographic survey — from Survey Engineer and Party Chief to Offshore Project Manager and Fugro Certified Trainer & Assessor. He has worked with Fugro, Gardline, Horizon Geosciences, Bibby HydroMap, Guardian Geomatics (Ocean Infinity), Subsea 7, and L&T Uncrewed Marine Systems across every major ocean and survey discipline.

Fugro Certified Trainer Fugro Certified Assessor TQUK L3 Education & Training Party Chief Assessor OPITO FOET
  • 2026–Now
    Freelance Survey Consultant
    HydroSurveyIQ · L&T Uncrewed Marine Systems
  • 2023–26
    Survey Engineering Trainer
    Fugro Academy & Training Centre, Plymouth UK
  • 2021–23
    Survey Party Chief
    Gardline · McDermott · Horizon Geosciences
  • 2020–21
    Sr. Survey Tech — AUV/USV
    Guardian Geomatics for Ocean Infinity
  • 2010–19
    Sr. Survey Engineer / Party Chief
    Horizon Geosciences · Fugro FGBML · Bibby HydroMap · Subsea 7
  • 2001–06
    Hydrographic Instructor
    National Hydrographic School, Goa (IHO Cat A)
  • 1994–01
    Survey Tech — Naval Ships
    Indian Navy · INS Sutlej · INS Nirdeshak
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What We Deliver

From nearshore bathymetry to deep-sea AUV campaigns — comprehensive hydrographic services across every marine environment and project type.

“Hydrographic Survey proposals are evolving. Lean, focused teams using flexible resources can deliver precise, time and cost efficient results that often exceed client expectations”.
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Bathymetric Surveys

Single-beam and multibeam echo sounder surveys for navigational charting, dredging, and seabed mapping. IHO S-44 compliant deliverables.

  • MBES / SBES surveys
  • Port & harbour bathymetry
  • Pre/post dredge surveys
  • Coastal & nearshore mapping
  • Deep-sea multibeam (Reson 8060 / EM304)

Geophysical Surveys

Full-suite geophysical campaigns combining multibeam, side scan sonar, sub-bottom profiler, magnetometer, and seismic systems.

  • Analogue & Hi-Res seismic
  • Side scan & SSS surveys
  • Sub-bottom profiling
  • Magnetometer / Gradiometer
  • Environmental baseline (EBS)

Search & Recovery

AUV and surface vessel search, detection and recovery campaigns using sector scan sonar, SSS, USBL, and specialist acoustic positioning systems.

  • Near-shore geophysical search
  • AUV search campaigns
  • Sector scan / SSS detection
  • DGNSS & acoustic positioning
  • Sonar Wiz & MS1000 processing

Oil & Gas

Wellsite surveys, pipeline route assessment, ROV positioning, rig moves, and geotechnical campaigns for operators across the Gulf, North Sea, Caspian, and Red Sea.

  • Pre/post-drill site surveys
  • Rig move positioning
  • Pipe lay TDM & as-laid survey
  • ROV support & USBL positioning
  • IMR & Geotechnical surveys

UXO Surveys

Unexploded ordnance surveys using 2D and 3D EIVA ScanFish, magnetometers, and gradiometers at offshore wind farm and cable route sites in the UK North Sea.

  • 3D & 2D EIVA ScanFish III
  • Geomatrics G-882 magnetometer
  • TVG Gradiometer systems
  • Tolmount, Moray East, Hornsea
  • Dounreay, Caithness–Moray corridor

Offshore Construction & Windfarm

Survey support for wind farm site investigations, pile and platform installation, cable lay, geotechnical CPT, and construction vessel positioning.

  • Wind farm site investigation
  • SCPT & geotechnical support
  • Post-lay MBES surveys
  • Barge & construction positioning
  • Hornsea, Baltic II, Kincardine
Hydrographic survey team handling tide gauge operations on vessel deck
Project Highlights

70+ Global Campaigns

Selected highlights from a career spanning the Indian Ocean, Arabian Gulf, North Sea, Baltic, Mediterranean, Red Sea, and South Atlantic.

UK North Sea

Hornsea Windfarm — Post-Lay MBES

Party Chief onboard M/V Ivero for multiple rotations of post-lay multibeam survey at Hornsea offshore wind farm.

Client: Boskalis · Equipment: R2Sonic 2024, QINSy
Poland / Baltic Sea

FEW Baltic II — Geotechnical WFI

OPM / Party Chief onboard M/V Ocean Vantage for offshore wind farm site investigation geotechnical survey with SCPT 200kN.

Client: RWE Offshore Wind Poland · Sonardyne Ranger 2
UK / Norway

Geophysical Offshore Wind Site Investigation

Party Chief onboard M/V Ocean Endeavor covering UK and Norwegian Continental Shelves for wind farm geophysical survey.

Client: Ocean Wind Caledonia · V7, EdgeTech, Innomar
Red Sea, Saudi Arabia

Uncharted Red Sea Hazard Survey

Lead Survey Engineer mobilising deep-sea (2000m) and shallow-water multibeam systems across uncharted Red Sea for navigation hazard survey in accordance with IHO S-44.

Client: Aramco · Reson 8060, Knudsen SB
Mediterranean / South Atlantic

AUV Campaign — Guardian / Ocean Infinity

Sr. Survey Tech operating Hugin 6000 AUVs and EM304/EM2040 multibeam systems aboard MV Island Pride across globally undisclosed locations.

Ocean Infinity · HiPAP, APOS, Seapath
Ushuaia, Argentina

South Atlantic Offshore Survey

Geophysical and geotechnical survey campaigns offshore Tierra del Fuego and Chile including cathodic protection and drilling campaign support.

Client: Total Austral S.A. · Horizon Geosciences
Chennai, India

L&T Search & Recovery — Kattupalli Port

Survey Consultant for near-shore geophysical investigation and search/recovery campaign using ArcScout SSS, Starfish SSS and KM 1071 Sector Scan Sonar.

Client: L&T Uncrewed Marine Systems
Caspian Sea

IMR Services — Shah Deniz / ACG Fields

Sr. Survey Engineer aboard DSV Akademik Tofiq Ismayilov providing USBL positioning for work-class and inspection ROVs at BP offshore assets.

Client: BP (British Petroleum) · HiPAP, EIVA NaviPac
Falmouth, UK

Dry Dock Sensor Installation

Survey Party Chief overseeing installation and integration of survey sensors at Falmouth dry dock, coordinating with shipyard and engineering teams.

Horizon Geosciences · M/V Horizon Geobay
20+
Party Chief
Appointments
50+
Sr. Engineer
Projects
8+
AUV / USV
Campaigns
35+
Multibeam
Projects
Training & Education

Built from the
Field Up

As a Survey Engineering Trainer at Fugro Academy & Training Centre, Plymouth (UK), Deepak has designed and delivered technical programmes for Survey Engineers, USV Technicians, ROC Operators, and Party Chiefs — with a TQUK Level 3 qualification in Education & Training and Award in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement.

Fugro Academy Trainer TQUK L3 AET Party Chief Assessor Onboard / Onsite AUV / USV Systems Survey Networking Sensor Integration
Survey training and project collaboration collage
01

Hydrographic Survey Fundamentals

Core bathymetric surveying, positioning systems, tidal observations and data collection for new-entry survey engineers.

Foundation
02

Survey Networking & Sensor Integration

Global delivery of survey networking for autonomous platforms — USVs, AUVs, ROVs — covering hardware, software and ICT integration.

Autonomous Platforms
03

Multibeam Echo Sounder Operations

End-to-end MBES workflow: installation, calibration, data collection and processing based on Teledyne RESON and Kongsberg systems.

Intermediate
04

USBL & Underwater Positioning

Practical Sonardyne, Kongsberg HiPAP, and Tritech USBL operations, calibration, and error analysis for ROV and AUV positioning.

Specialist
05

Party Chief Leadership & Operations

Field leadership, crew management, HSE responsibilities, client interface, and daily survey operations management for senior professionals.

Advanced
06

Bespoke Corporate & Onboard Training

Custom-designed programmes for survey companies, port authorities, and O&G operators — delivered onsite, onboard, or remotely.

Corporate
Competency Development

Structured Pathways
to Survey Mastery

Deepak brings Party Chief Assessor training and a Masters Diploma in Personnel Administration to build evidence-based competency frameworks aligned to IMCA and IHO standards.

Competency Assessment

Structured evaluation of surveyor skills against defined standards — identifying gaps and development priorities aligned to IMCA.

Framework Design

Custom competency frameworks for survey teams — role profiles, skills matrices, and progression criteria for your operational context.

IHO / IMCA Alignment

Map existing team knowledge against IHO Category A/B and IMCA competency requirements, ensuring readiness for certification.

1-on-1 Mentoring

Individual mentoring by a Fugro Certified Trainer and Party Chief Assessor — guiding surveyor development through practical feedback.

Remote & e-Learning

Structured remote modules for field teams — technical content and self-assessment tools accessible wherever operations are based.

Team Competency Reviews

Periodic review for survey departments — verify ongoing skill standards, support CPD, and prepare for project mobilisation.

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Equipment Competency

Hands-On Across Every System

Multibeam Echo Sounders

Reson T50/T20/8125/7125/7101/8060/8101, Kongsberg EM304/2040/3002, R2Sonic 2024/2026, EdgeTech 6205, Norbit

USBL & Acoustic

Sonardyne Ranger I & II, Scout Pro/Plus, Fusion, Kongsberg HiPAP, Tritech USBL, Tracklink, Simrad HiPAP

Positioning & INS

Veripos, C Nav 3050/2000, Vector Pro, Trimble RTK, Seapath, POS MV, IXBlue Phins, StarPack

Geophysical Systems

EdgeTech 4125/4200/4205 SSS, GeoAcoustics, Innomar SBP, Uniboom, Boomer, Pinger, Seaspy Magnetometer, G-882

AUV / USV

Hugin 6000 AUV, Sea Worker USV, APOS, Kongsberg UTP systems — integration, commissioning and operations

Survey Software

QINSy (30+ projects), EIVA NaviPac/NaviEdit, Starfix Suite, 4DNav, Discover, AutoCAD, Fledermaus, Sonar Wiz

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Autonomous survey equipment mobilization at dockside
Reading Corner by DPSK

Suggested Articles on Survey & Training

A curated set of articles and technical notes from the field — practical perspectives on hydrographic survey, offshore operations, and emerging technology.

Leadership & Operations

Beyond the Sensors

Reflections on the role of a Lead Survey Engineer offshore — the responsibilities, mindset, and situational awareness required beyond the technical.

Read on LinkedIn
AI & Industry

AI and Us (Offshore Workers)!

An honest look at the implications of artificial intelligence for offshore and technical industries — what it means for survey professionals today and tomorrow.

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Geodesy & Theory

A Few Reflections on Geodesy — Part I

Practical survey thinking on geodesy and survey software — bridging the gap between theoretical foundations and real-world offshore application.

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Equipment & Mobilisation

3D ScanFish — Mobilisation Brief

A concise mobilisation brief on ScanFish operations — practical hydrographic application, setup considerations, and field-readiness guidance.

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Data Communications

Serial Data Communication Control — Simply Stated

Technical grounding in survey data communication — serial protocols explained clearly for survey engineers who need to understand the fundamentals without the jargon.

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INS & DVL Integration

PHINS Coupled RDI DVL — A Concise Note

Practical mobilisation and interfacing orientation for PHINS/DVL coupling — a quick-reference guide for survey engineers working with inertial navigation systems.

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Training & Future Outlook

Beyond the Theory: My Reflections & Survey Engineering Training

A commentary on current training trends and the future outlook for survey engineering education — insights drawn from experience as a Hydrographic Survey Engineering Trainer.

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AUV & Navigation

AUV — How the System Works: Configuration & Core Concepts Made Simple

An accessible breakdown of AUV navigation sensors integrated with hydrography — core concepts and configuration explained from a survey engineering trainer's perspective.

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Equipment & Sensors

Doppler Velocity Log (DVL) — The System & Operation Made Simple

Practical insights into DVL design, operation, and integration from hands-on survey equipment mobilisation experience — explained clearly for field engineers.

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Leadership & Party Chief

Beyond Operations: My Reflections & the Role of Hydrographic Survey Party Chief

Reflections on leadership, decision-making, and the broader responsibilities of the Party Chief role — beyond day-to-day survey operations offshore.

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Knowledge on Demand

Video Library

A curated collection of training snippets, field dispatches, and professional discussions — distilling decades of hydrographic survey experience into accessible formats.

Survey Training Snippets
Why Training?

Why Training?

In an age of internet, YouTube & AI learning — why does structured training still matter?

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Smartest person onboard

Smartest Person Onboard

Is it counterintuitive? Exploring team dynamics and individual expertise in survey crews.

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RS232

RS232

A quick whiteboard summary of the RS232 serial communication standard used in survey interfacing.

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Star players vs Star teams

Star Players vs Star Teams

Which one is steadfast? A look at what really drives performance and reliability offshore.

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Computer interfacing

Computer Interfacing

The basics of connecting survey instruments to computers — a practical overview for field engineers.

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Logical Survey Troubleshooting OSI

Logical Survey Troubleshooting (OSI) by DPSK

A quick whiteboard introduction to structured, logical survey troubleshooting using the OSI framework.

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Cables and protocols

Cables & Protocols

Interfacing hacks — practical tips on cables and communication protocols for survey systems.

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RS422

RS422

A quick whiteboard summary of RS422 — the differential serial standard widely used in marine survey equipment.

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Network troubleshooting

Network Troubleshooting

Made simple! A practical approach to diagnosing and resolving survey network issues on the fly.

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Life (& the Work) at Sea
Grab Sampling

Grab Sampling

A look at seabed grab sampling operations and its role in geotechnical and environmental survey programmes.

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The Dubai Dry Docking

The Dubai Dry Docking

Behind the scenes of a survey vessel dry docking in Dubai — maintenance, inspection, and mobilisation.

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Small Survey Boats

Small Survey Boats

The agility and challenges of nearshore and inland survey operations aboard small hydrographic vessels.

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Offshore construction

Offshore Construction

Survey support aboard offshore construction vessels — positioning, monitoring, and as-built verification.

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Vessel Grounded OTS Recovery

Vessel Grounded OTS Recovery

When the going gets tough, the tough get going — a real account of recovering a grounded survey vessel.

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3D UHR Survey

3D UHR Survey

Seafaring & Surveying — ultra-high resolution 3D seabed mapping in challenging offshore environments.

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Early days of Surveying

Early Days of Surveying

Reflections on the early days — the equipment, methods, and culture of hydrographic survey before the digital era.

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Scanfish

Scanfish

Seafaring & Surveying — the EIVA ScanFish towed body in action for 3D geophysical survey campaigns.

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Just a Throwback

Just a Throwback!

Interesting places & cheerful teams — a nostalgic look back at memorable survey deployments around the world.

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Professional Discourses
Survey computer network

Survey Computer Network

An introduction to survey vessel computer networks — architecture, topology, and integration with survey systems.

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Geotechnical survey

Geotechnical Survey

My work as OPM & orientation on geotechnical vessels — CPT, coring, and seabed sampling operations.

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Router and Fibre optics

Router and Fibre Optics

Understanding routers and fibre optic cabling in the context of modern survey vessel network infrastructure.

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Ethernet

Ethernet

Twisted pair cable — 5 / 10Base2 standards explained for survey engineers who need to know their networks.

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Transceiver

Transceiver

Electronics deep-dive — projector/receiver channels, beam width, beams & swath in multibeam sonar systems.

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Resolution Specs

Resolution Specs

Swath, channels & beams, cable limitations, frame rate, and AD sampling — the specs that define survey data quality.

Watch on YouTube
Ready to Work Together?

Let's Chart the Next
Course Together

Whether you need field leadership, specialist survey consulting, or competency-based training — reach out and let's discuss your project.

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