We developed and implemented new at-sea data processing methods to enable data analysis during a voyage that acquired a large volume of image data (148 hours of video, 70,000 still image pairs) on deep-sea coral communities with a towed camera system. The at-sea data processing increased the overall efficiency of the project but had the important advantage of recognising problems and opportunities in near real-time that substantially aided the processes of data quality control. We adopted an ‘agile’ approach to successfully build workflows and feedback, utilising open-source software tools to build a data pipeline that enabled timely processing of raw data and permitted tactical decision-making. Now four years on from the voyage we evaluate how FAIR data can be enabled by investment in data capture and processing and look at future possibilities of how standard products can be developed and implemented.