Systems and associated methods for updating stored 3d sonar data

An apparatus comprising a sonar signal processor and a memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the sonar signal processor, cause the apparatus to:

• process first sonar return data received from a first transducer element of at least one transducer array and second sonar return data received from a second transducer element of the at least one transducer array to generate live 3D mesh data, wherein the at least one transducer array is positioned within a housing mountable to a watercraft capable of traversing a body of water and aimed at least downwardly from the watercraft;
• determine a position associated with the live 3D mesh data that corresponds to the position of the watercraft when the first sonar return data and the second sonar return data was received;
• and
• update a stored 3D mesh data with at least a portion of the live 3D mesh data based on the position associated with the live 3D mesh data.

Computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having program code portions stored thereon, the program code portions configured, when said program product is run with a sonar signal processor, to:

• process first sonar return data received from a first transducer element of at least one transducer array and second sonar return data received from a second transducer element of the at least one transducer array to generate live 3D mesh data, wherein the at least one transducer array is positioned within a housing mountable to a watercraft capable of traversing a body of water and aimed at least downwardly from the watercraft;
• determine a position associated with the live 3D mesh data that corresponds to the position of the watercraft when the first sonar return data and the second sonar return data was received;
• and
• update a stored 3D mesh data with at least a portion of the live 3D mesh data based on the position associated with the live 3D mesh data.