AUTONOMOUS SURFACE VESSELS FOR AIR-SEA FLUX AND SATELLITE CALIBRATION / VALIDATION STUDIES

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AUTONOMOUS SURFACE VESSELS FOR AIR-SEA FLUX AND
SATELLITE CALIBRATION / VALIDATION STUDIES

• Phil McGillivary, USCG Icebreaker Science Liaison
• philip.a.mcgillivary_at_uscg.mil
• Joeseph A. Curcio, Robotic Marine Systems
• jacurcio_at_att.net
• Kevin Fall, Intel Research, Berkeley
• kevin.fall_at_intel.com
• Andy Maffei, WHOI
• amaffei_at_whoi.edu
• Kurt Schwehr, Center for Coastal Ocean Mapping,
  UNH
• kurt.schwehr_at_ccom.unh.edu
• Chris Kitts, Mechanical Engineering, Santa Clara
  University
• ckitts_at_me.scu.edu
• Bob Twiggs, Stanford University
• btwiggs_at_stanford.edu

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Why a Self-Positioning Buoy?

• Eliminate cost, hassles of cable, swivels,
  weights, chain, etc.
• Simplify/eliminate deployment and servicing costs
  (ie dont absolutely require ships)
• Reposition automatically or at will to track
  events (eg spring bloom, fronts, etc.)
• Redeployable without waiting for ships to be
  available, no long periods without data
• Better for shallow waters, harbors, port security
  concerns

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Why a Self-Positioning Buoy? contd

• US Ocean Commission and NSF Committee on Ocean
  Sciences at the New Millennium both call for
  sustained global observations
• Currently _at_2400 ARGO floats, at _at_30K/ea w
  deployment cost, _at_800/yr24 million (3 yr life)
• Lots of Homeland Security port harbor uses
• Ability to coordinate with each other and act in
  ensemble (mini-Armada) precise GPS positioning
  mode
• Cost is _at_half that of Navy Sonobuoys which are
  considered expendable
• Problems w stability, etc., can be overcome

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What sorts of ASVs are out there now?

• DoD/ONR 2005 contracts 3 companies,
• all DoD contractors, so
• Aluminum multi-hulls, COTS, DoD
• NASA Adaptive Sensor Fleet OASIS
• Experimental versions MBARI/SCU
• Robo-kayak, COTS, cheap hull
• Fiberglass hulls, moderately expensive

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Scientific Applications and Research Associates
(SARA, Inc.) DoD Gatekeeper offering w MHD power
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U. Michigan Environmental Monitoring Buoy, part
of joint SeaLandAire DoD Gatekeeper Buoy project
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Falmouth Scientific Solar AUV technology basis
for DoD Gatekeeper Buoy
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Searobotics, Inc. has several types of
aluminum-hulled monohulls, catamarans, and
multi-hulls, including their High Speed Trimaran
shown below, endurancehours only
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Searobotics Self-righting Monohull, intended for
multibeam, other detailed work, obstacle
avoidance,10 hrs _at_2kts
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Searobotics Unmanned Survey Vehicle
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NASA ASF OASIS(Adaptive Sensor Fleet, Ocean
Atmosphere Sensor Integrated System)

• OASIS intended as _at_50K ocean platform for sat
  cal/val

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Monohull vs SWATH movement in seas(from
Mahacek, 2005)
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MBARI / Santa Clara Univ.WASP SWATH ASV
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Robo-kayak from Maribotics_at_4 month endurance,
_at_30K, real-time multi-vessel GPS positioning
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CTD Selection
SeaBird Electronics SBE-52

• Scientific Data Priority
• Power Requirements
• Expandable, DO, Turbidity

SeaBird Electronics SBE-49
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Winch System

• 100 Meter cable
• 4 Strands
• Modified COTS Unit
• Encoder Feedback
• Level Winding System

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Kayak Modifications
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BetaBatteries are Tritium-based, 12.3yr ½-life
require intimate contact to work, last 12-20
years. Three sizes, one _at_ same size as D cell,
25uW initially, 12uW after 12yrs
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PICOSAT built by Naval AcademyPolar orbit
provides 90 min return, 5-10min transmission time
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PICOSAT footprint
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Delay Tolerant Networking DTN Wireless Protocol

• Funded by DARPA, NSA, NASA (for Interplanetary
  Internet)
• Backed by Intel, Microsoft, others
• Purpose communication in noisy or interrupted
  environments
• Achieves increased distance and speed for
  wireless communications (10-20X for both)

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Automatic Identification System (AIS)

• Joint federal initiative by DHS, NOAA, others (eg
  Navy)
• Intended to allow automated info transfer on
  vessels before entering port to facilitate
  security checks
• Didnt initially include either buoys or
  automated surface vessels does now
• Helps to be legal