Anchorless
Computer Engineering Capstone Project 2021
Background
The USCB COAST Lab conducts frequent research along the Goleta Coast, dedicated to understanding and advancing the knowledge of the physical processes that are affecting the marine ecosystem. Their data gathering is primarily driven by the use of autonomous platforms and emerging sensor technologies. One such sensor-based system is the Sofar Spotter buoy, a data collection aquatic system that provides real-time novel measurements. However, maintenance and retrieval of the buoy requires extra time and resources.
Our Solution
Our team has devised a solution to combat such issues with Anchorless, an autonomous station-keeping tethering system capable of repositioning to a specified coordinate and remaining within a quarter-mile radius. We use a thruster-based propulsion system to drive the vessel where desired. This system also offers low-power consumption and can remain in the water for extended periods of time with the use of solar energy to keep our system powered.