Successful trials in Plymouth

Jeremy, Alex, Iain and Ayanna from ecoSUB, joined by Davide Fenucci from the National Oceanography Centre were offshore from Plymouth this week, running tests with our Smart Network Positioning system.

Three ecoSUBu5 AUVs were deployed in a network as part of this test, with three vehicles operating a station holding behaviour on the surface to provide GPS via nano-modems developed by Jeff Neasham at University of Newcastle.  The forth vehicle, an ecoSUBm5, receiving position information from the surface units triangulated it's position and fused this data with its own dead reckoner to greatly enhance navigation capability.

During one of these tests we completed a 5km lawnmower survey at 30m depth.

Next month we will be supported by PML, operating on Plymouth Quest, where we will be launching TEN ecoSUB AUVs to complete a Rapid Environmental Assessment test, accurately surveying a 1km x 1km box at multiple depths in approximately 2 hours.

Smart Network Positioning is an output from an 18 month Innovate UK supported project. Project partners are Planet Ocean Limited, National Oceanography Centre and University of Newcastle. We've done really cool things to make low cost, smart AUV technology even more useful and accessible.

To find out more email us via [email protected]