Autonomous Multi-Vehicle System Designed for Long-Term Arctic Studies

Long-term data collection is needed to understand Arctic marine ecosystem changes as sea ice melts in response to climate change.

However, direct observation is challenging as satellite sensors have a coarse spatial resolution and cannot detect the fine fractal structure of the ice. Deploying human-crewed ships to the area also is difficult due to extreme weather conditions and risks posed by floating broken ice. Moreover, traditional ocean observation methods offer limited temporal and spatial coverage, while drones and AUVs are hindered by energy constraints that restrict their research potential.

To overcome these challenges, researchers from the College of Engineering and Computer Science at Florida Atlantic University have proposed a design of an alternative, autonomous observational method that features a small waterplane area twin hull (SWATH) vessel that acts as a docking and charging station for AUVs and UAVs.

The SWATH ship is engineered for exceptional stability, allowing it to navigate through melting ice and operate in a wide range of sea conditions. It is designed to be self-sufficient, utilizing automated sailing, solar panels and an underwater turbine positioned between its twin hulls to generate and store energy, ensuring continuous mission support even when sailing against ocean currents.

Results of the study,