IMWTS 26 US tu 1055

Introduction to Oceanic Research and Technology

Overview of Harbor Branch Oceanic Institute

• Bingo Yang introduces himself as a researcher at the Harbor Branch Oceanic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, discussing a project focused on sensing in shallow water environments.

• The institute is located in Fort Pierce, Florida, featuring a 144-acre campus with 28 faculty members engaged in various marine science research topics.

Focus of Research

• Yang highlights his lab's focus on ocean engineering and technology, particularly aquaculture, which will be elaborated upon later.

• He discusses challenges faced in coastal zones due to complex geographic conditions that hinder navigation for traditional underwater vehicles (UUVs and USVs).

Challenges in Underwater Navigation

Limitations of Conventional Vehicles

• Traditional UUVs/USVs struggle with navigation due to environmental changes like tides and sediment transport.

• Yang questions whether advanced systems are necessary for shallow water sensing or if they may be over-engineered.

Development of Automated Fish Farms

Conceptual Background

• The initial concept was developed through USDA NEA funding programs aimed at creating automated pound fish farms across the U.S.

• Monitoring water quality effectively within each pond presents significant operational challenges.

Proposed Solution: Waterproof Drones

• A waterproof drone equipped with sensors is proposed to collect data from each pond by landing on the water surface.

Advantages of Drone Technology

Benefits of Using Drones

• This approach overcomes geographic limitations such as barriers while extending operational endurance by idling motors during data collection.

• The system includes a cloud-based web app for real-time monitoring of farm conditions and sensor status.

Development Process and Testing

Creation of NDA Compliant Drones

• Yang discusses developing NDA-compliant drones from scratch, showcasing their first fully compliant drone design at FAU.

Testing Ecosystem Deployment

• The ecosystem has been deployed at a collaborative farm since 2024; video demonstrations show typical sensing sequences performed by the drone.

Proposed System Configuration: Crane

Design Features

• The proposed "Crane" system features a waterproof drone linked to an underwater payload via fiber-optical tether through a winch system.

• This configuration allows for persistent communication between underwater assets and above-water platforms while enhancing energy efficiency during operations.

Operational Time Scales

Flight vs. Mission Time

• Current designs aim for flight times between 20 to 50 minutes depending on payload; however, mission time can extend significantly due to idle motor operation during sensing tasks.

Modular Sensing System Design

Innovative Features

• The design incorporates stability support tubes that can also serve as additional sensor pods while allowing integration with various sensors down the line.

Testing Milestones

Progress Updates

Initial buoyancy tests confirmed the ability to hold substantial payload weights; subsequent flight tests marked important milestones in development progress.

(t=842] Winch System Development

Unique Considerations

-The winch system must operate underwater; scalability is crucial for accommodating different airframes without extensive redesigning. Reliability measures are implemented to prevent entanglement issues during deployment.

Current Status and Future Plans

Ongoing Developments

• Recent updates have reduced drone weight by 700 grams; initial prototypes demonstrate optical fiber links successfully transmitting data from underwater cameras back to surface stations.

Potential Use Cases

Applications Beyond Aquaculture

• Possible use cases include establishing underwater optical communication gateways that leverage high-bandwidth capabilities compared to acoustic links.

• Environmental sensing applications could utilize various sensor modalities integrated into the payload design for comprehensive data collection efforts.

Conclusion & Future Directions

Next Steps

• Completion of full system integration is anticipated once delayed components arrive; initial field tests will focus on environmental sensing packages relevant to local ecological concerns like Sargassum blooms.