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Development of an Autonomous Vertical Profiler
[AVP] with sensors for monitoring the water column
Objectives
To design, build and field test two Autonomous
Vertical Profilers (AVP) capable of
- Vertical profiling of ocean properties with
real time data collection
- Launched at sea from the small boat
- Intelligent, small, light weight & cost
effective
- Value additions of
- Solar cell charging for long endurance
~ 30 days
- Hover capability
- Variable speed with vectored thrust
- Transmit GPS coordinates by satellite/RF
Specifications:
| Length |
0.5 m |
| Diameter |
20 cm |
| Weight |
< 30 Kgs |
| Depth |
200 m (max) optional : 2000 m |
| Hull |
Delrin non-floodable O-ring seals |
| Speed |
Variable upto 0.1 to 1.5 m/s |
| Nose |
Ellitical |
| Propulsion |
Single DC thruster |
| Control surface |
4 fixed planes with solar panels |
| Endurance |
30 days |
| Power |
Lithium ion polymer (36 Whr) |
| Dive time |
4 minutes to 200 meters at 1m/s |
| Communication |
RF /Satellite transmission |
Why vertical profiling in the coastal zone
is needed ?
- Satellite sensors provide surface data, autonomous
vertical profilers complete the picture in 3D.
- High quality uncorrupted data through water
column from sea surface to depth
- Variable speed will permit profiler to slow
down, speed up or hover at a point
- To track temporal and spatial in stratified
coastal waters by repeated sampling of water
column
- Data is sparse in the coastal zone from 30m
shoreline to 100m
Science and applications of profilers
- Repeated sampling will help separate out natural
variability from man-made hazards.
- Global climate program – ocean observing
systems.
- Profilers as monitoring tools for varied
ecosystems – fishing zones, coral reefs,
estuaries with sensors – cameras, oxygen,
chlorophyll, transparency.
- Strategic applications in tracking biological
thin scattering layers and sound velocity profilers
- New sensors can be field tested on the profilers
Layout of Autonomous Vertical
Profiler
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