A Spatial Distribution Probability-Guided Detection Framework for Underwater Sonar Imagery.

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Title: A Spatial Distribution Probability-Guided Detection Framework for Underwater Sonar Imagery.
Authors: Jia, Dayu1 (AUTHOR), Huang, Yan1,2 (AUTHOR), Qiao, Jianan1,2 (AUTHOR), Wang, Zhenyu1,2 (AUTHOR), Feng, Hao1 (AUTHOR), Yu, Jiancheng1 (AUTHOR) yjc@sia.cn
Source: Remote Sensing. Jun2026, Vol. 18 Issue 12, p1906. 21p.
Subjects: Sonar imaging, Distribution (Probability theory), Object recognition (Computer vision), Machine learning, Remote submersibles, Artificial neural networks
Abstract: Highlights: What are the main findings? A real sonar dataset containing practice mines and practice subsurface buoys is created. The dataset is used to train and validate a deep neural network. A Spatial Distribution Probability-Guided Detection Framework is designed, focusing on submarine point target detection, which achieves superior detection performance. What are the implications of the main findings? Spatial distribution probability provides reliable prior knowledge which enables the deep neural network to focus on the target part. The proposed framework achieves robust object detection in data-scarce scenarios, demonstrating generalizability beyond underwater sonar datasets. Underwater target detection via side-scan sonar is vital for defense and economy but hindered by sparse targets, high data costs, and feature extraction difficulties due to textureless acoustic data and limited samples. To overcome these limitations, particularly for few-shot, small-object detection, we propose a Spatial Distribution Probability-Guided Detection Framework to aid Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) in precise localization and clustering. The framework features a novel module that leverages a pre-trained Vision Foundation Model (DINOv3) to generate spatial distribution probability maps, guiding a Transformer-based network for accurate detection with scarce data. Additionally, it incorporates a Target Position Calculation Module and a DBSCAN-based post-processing module to determine global geographic coordinates and cluster discrete points, respectively. Experiments were conducted on both a Public Mine Detection Dataset and a self-collected dataset containing simulated mines and buoys. Ablation studies and comparison experiments demonstrated that the proposed guidance mechanism significantly improves detection performance. Furthermore, two comb-search missions verified that the system could accurately locate and cluster targets, distinguishing real targets from false detections (noise). These results confirm the framework's efficacy in enabling high-precision perception and autonomous operations for complex underwater inspection tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Remote Sensing is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: A Spatial Distribution Probability-Guided Detection Framework for Underwater Sonar Imagery.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jia%2C+Dayu%22">Jia, Dayu</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Huang%2C+Yan%22">Huang, Yan</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Qiao%2C+Jianan%22">Qiao, Jianan</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wang%2C+Zhenyu%22">Wang, Zhenyu</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Feng%2C+Hao%22">Feng, Hao</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yu%2C+Jiancheng%22">Yu, Jiancheng</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> yjc@sia.cn</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Remote+Sensing%22">Remote Sensing</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 18 Issue 12, p1906. 21p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sonar+imaging%22">Sonar imaging</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Distribution+%28Probability+theory%29%22">Distribution (Probability theory)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Object+recognition+%28Computer+vision%29%22">Object recognition (Computer vision)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Machine+learning%22">Machine learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Remote+submersibles%22">Remote submersibles</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Artificial+neural+networks%22">Artificial neural networks</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Highlights: What are the main findings? A real sonar dataset containing practice mines and practice subsurface buoys is created. The dataset is used to train and validate a deep neural network. A Spatial Distribution Probability-Guided Detection Framework is designed, focusing on submarine point target detection, which achieves superior detection performance. What are the implications of the main findings? Spatial distribution probability provides reliable prior knowledge which enables the deep neural network to focus on the target part. The proposed framework achieves robust object detection in data-scarce scenarios, demonstrating generalizability beyond underwater sonar datasets. Underwater target detection via side-scan sonar is vital for defense and economy but hindered by sparse targets, high data costs, and feature extraction difficulties due to textureless acoustic data and limited samples. To overcome these limitations, particularly for few-shot, small-object detection, we propose a Spatial Distribution Probability-Guided Detection Framework to aid Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) in precise localization and clustering. The framework features a novel module that leverages a pre-trained Vision Foundation Model (DINOv3) to generate spatial distribution probability maps, guiding a Transformer-based network for accurate detection with scarce data. Additionally, it incorporates a Target Position Calculation Module and a DBSCAN-based post-processing module to determine global geographic coordinates and cluster discrete points, respectively. Experiments were conducted on both a Public Mine Detection Dataset and a self-collected dataset containing simulated mines and buoys. Ablation studies and comparison experiments demonstrated that the proposed guidance mechanism significantly improves detection performance. Furthermore, two comb-search missions verified that the system could accurately locate and cluster targets, distinguishing real targets from false detections (noise). These results confirm the framework's efficacy in enabling high-precision perception and autonomous operations for complex underwater inspection tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Remote Sensing is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.3390/rs18121906
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 21
        StartPage: 1906
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      – SubjectFull: Sonar imaging
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Distribution (Probability theory)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Object recognition (Computer vision)
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      – SubjectFull: Machine learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Remote submersibles
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Artificial neural networks
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: A Spatial Distribution Probability-Guided Detection Framework for Underwater Sonar Imagery.
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            NameFull: Jia, Dayu
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            NameFull: Huang, Yan
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              M: 06
              Text: Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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