Methods and systems for surveying using deep-water vessels

A method for surveying a body of water, the method comprising:

• providing a plurality of vehicles to a body of water, each of the plurality of vehicles comprising:
• a vehicle body;
• an electric-propulsion motor system mounted on the vehicle body;
• a rechargeable battery configured to provide electrical power to the electric-propulsion motor system;
• at least one sonar device attached to the vehicle body;
• and
• a communication device;
• submerging one or more of the plurality of vehicles below a surface of the body of water;
• surveying an area, using the at least one sonar device, to map the body of water and to determine a location of one or more of the plurality of vehicles;
• determining, based on the surveying, that a target object is detected within the area;
• transferring sonar data, using the communication device, from one or more of the plurality of vehicles to another vehicle of the plurality of vehicles, a global satellite network, or a remote server;
• and
• processing the transferred sonar data to generate a map based on the sonar data.