Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Undergraduate
Project Type
group
Authors' Class Standing
Devon Vail, Junior Stephen Hanrahan, Junior
Lead Presenter's Name
Devon Vai
Faculty Mentor Name
Dr. Pang
Abstract
The often sky-high cost of ocean research prevents many institutions from performing critical research in the ocean. An ocean-based research vessel can cost anywhere from $40,000 to $80,000 a day to operate and as a result few entities are capable of maintaining them. Project Nautilus seeks to lower these costs by removing the human element from oceanic research. To achieve this goal, Project Nautilus has created a two-part unmanned system. The primary component of this system is the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) that dives underwater to collect various data. This ROV will one day be able to autonomously dock and recharge at a dock on the seafloor. The dock will be connected via tether to the second major component of the system, the unmanned surface vessel (USV). The USV will collect renewable energy from available sources and send them down the tether to the dock for charging purposes. Data collected from the ROV will also be sent up the tether to the HUB for storage and transmission back to land. This design will provide new avenues for smaller research institutions to access the ocean.
Did this research project receive funding support (Spark, SURF, Research Abroad, Student Internal Grants, Collaborative, Climbing, or Ignite Grants) from the Office of Undergraduate Research?
Yes, Ignite Grant
Project Nautilus Phase 2
The often sky-high cost of ocean research prevents many institutions from performing critical research in the ocean. An ocean-based research vessel can cost anywhere from $40,000 to $80,000 a day to operate and as a result few entities are capable of maintaining them. Project Nautilus seeks to lower these costs by removing the human element from oceanic research. To achieve this goal, Project Nautilus has created a two-part unmanned system. The primary component of this system is the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) that dives underwater to collect various data. This ROV will one day be able to autonomously dock and recharge at a dock on the seafloor. The dock will be connected via tether to the second major component of the system, the unmanned surface vessel (USV). The USV will collect renewable energy from available sources and send them down the tether to the dock for charging purposes. Data collected from the ROV will also be sent up the tether to the HUB for storage and transmission back to land. This design will provide new avenues for smaller research institutions to access the ocean.