French-Cypriot Team Unveils a Resident AUV System for Reef Monitoring

 

Researchers in France and Cyprus have debuted an autonomous drone sub system that is designed to reside on reefs and monitor environmental conditions on long timescales, without human intervention for recharging or maintenance. 

The "EONIOS" project, a joint effort between French AUV builder Arkeocean, the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI), Cypriot tech firm SignalGeneriX and consultancy Lanego, unveiled a micro-USV "swarm" system on Monday at a press conference in the resort town of Ayia Napa. France's ambassador to Cyprus, Clélia Chevrier Kola?ko, was the guest of honor and keynote speaker. 

The AUVs are paired with a docking system for recharging, and will provide 24/7 monitoring. Each drone can stay on station for up to a month at a time, thanks to the charging dock. The system incorporates swarming technology to allow the mini-AUVs to communicate and act together, and should be much less expensive than tethered solutions. 

The testing phase is under way at the Ayia Napa marina, but the first real deployment for the drone subs will be at an artificial reef off Limassol, off Cyprus' south coast. The cement-based reef structure will contain the docking station, as well as a transmitter that will allow the AUVs to send information back to shore. 

The AUV system also has potential applications in defense, an Arkeocean executive told AP, as it can loiter for long periods and operate without detection below the surface.