The future of land seismic data acquisition hinges on automated robotic systems capable of navigating, adapting, and collecting high-resolution data in complex terrains. Recent advances in autonomous geophysical exploration have proposed frameworks for deploying robotic systems in diverse environments (Antoine et al. 2020; Zheng et al. 2021; Timoshenko et al. 2025). Among these, the Autonomous Seismic Acquisition Device (ASAD) ecosystem stands out as a solution for land seismic data acquisition (Yashin et al. 2023; Alfataierge et al. 2024; Timoshenko et al. 2025). Designed as a lightweight, fully autonomous crew, ASAD comprises three integrated modules (Figures 1A and 1B): a swarm of seismic sensors and recording unmanned aerial vehicles (ASAD-UAV); a terrestrial autonomous rover serving as a seismic source (ASAD-Rover); and a mobile command unit for coordination, mobilization, and data processing (ASAD-Mobile). Central to ASAD's functionality is its terrain-surveying component. This surveying element is needed to identify safe landing zones for the ASAD-UAV swarm, generate high-resolution 3D local terrain models to optimize source-receiver geometry, and adjust the pre-planned rover's traverse path. Prior studies have demonstrated the efficacy of dedicated surveying UAVs for safe zone mapping (Ramdani et al. 2024a; Ramdani et al. 2024b). However, a critical gap remains. No ground-based surveying system has yet been designed or numerically validated within the ASAD framework to produce localized 3D terrain models at the resolution required for precision seismic acquisition and rover path. The Curiosity and Perseverance are NASA's autonomous Martian rovers that are still in operation as of May 2025, exploring Martian geology and seeking signs of ancient life. These rovers are equipped with advanced imaging systems (17 cameras on Curiosity and 23 on Perseverance) supporting scientific analysis, hazard detection, navigation, and geological documentation (Maki et al. 2012; Bell et al. 2022). Recent work by Caravaca et al. (2020) demonstrated the capability to create detailed 3D digital outcrop models of Martian terrain using Curiosity's imagery via Structure-from-Motion (SfM) techniques. Their results validate the applicability of the SfM techniques applied to rover-mounted camera systems for remote geological modeling. Such models mirror the high-resolution terrain mapping the ASAD-Rover system requires to enable precise seismic data acquisition and rover path adjustment.
Ihsan et al. (Tue,) studied this question.