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Infrastructure Profile
Location
Oostende, Belgium
Organisation & Address
Flanders Marine Institute VLIZ (Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee) Marine Robotics Centre Jacobsenstraat 1, 8400 Oostende Belgium
Link to Vessel/Infrastructure Schedules (if applicable)
NA
Normal Area of Operation
The area of operations will be dependent on the mother ship but will cover all the lighthouse areas of the project (Atlantic/Arctic, Baltic and North Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea).
Maximum Number of Days Available
1 x 15 days
Scientists’ Travel and Logistics (T&L) Budget Available
€ 2,000.00
Overview
Depth Rating
NA
Length
5 m
Width
0.5 m
Height (incl. draft for USV)
2.35 m
Weight in Air
250 kg
Total System Weight
250 kg
Payload
CTD – Seabird Fastcat
Chlorophyll A, turbidity, organic matter – Wetlabs Ecopuck
Oxygen – Aanderaa 4831
Forward and Aft facing cameras
ADCP – Teledyne RDI Workhorse 600 kHz
Acoustic receiver – Vemco V2RC mini
Wave motion sensor – Aanderaa MOTUS
Hydrophone – Seiche MicroPAM
Endurance (AUV, Gliders, USV)
2 – 3 weeks
Scientific and Technical Specifications
General Information
USV Adhemar is an Autonaut (Seiche); a 5 m wave-propelled surface vehicle which uses the movement of the waves to produce forward motion. The vehicle uses solar panels to generate additional power in ongoing missions.
USV Adhemar is equipped primarily for surface seawater measurements, but the quiet nature of the wave propulsion also makes the vehicle suited for passive acoustic measurements.
Vessel Requirements (if applicable)
• Minimum deck space: 6 m x 2 m (vehicle 5 m long)
• RHIB
• Over-the-side crane or A-Frame
Thrusters
Wave propulsion and torqeedo ultralight electric motor
Cameras
Forward- and aft-looking cameras
Positioning (USBL, etc.)
GPS (Global Positioning System)
Instruments/Scientific Payload
• CTD – Seabird 49 “Fast cat”
• Chlorophyll A, turbidity, organic matter – Wetlabs Ecopuck
• Oxygen – Aandera 4831
• Forward and Aft facing cameras
• ADCP – Teledyne RDI Workhorse 600 kHz
• Acoustic receiver – Vemco V2RC mini
• Wave motion sensor – Aanderaa MOTUS
Optional Items
• Hydrophone – Seiche MicroPAM
• pCO2 sensor – sensors for measuring pCO2 fluxes between ocean and atmosphere
Manipulators
None
TMS (Tether Management System (ROV ONLY)), LARS details (if applicable)
No LARS, but comes with a deck cradle
Support offered to AQUARIUS users
Along with the vehicle, one or two field technicians will be provided for the operation, deployment and recovery, general mobilization, and operation of the vehicle
Infrastructure Availability and Contact Details
Year 2025
1) Available in all the project’s lighthouse areas: Atlantic/Arctic, Baltic and North Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea
2) All year, except July and August
Year 2026
1) Available in all the project’s lighthouse areas: Atlantic/Arctic, Baltic and North Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea
2) Available during the entire year
Year 2027
1) Available in all the project’s lighthouse areas: Atlantic/Arctic, Baltic and North Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea
2) Available during the entire year
Contact email for applicants to discuss the initial feasibility of their work while they prepare their application
mrc[at]vliz.be (Contact person: Wieter Boone)
Certification and Clearance Requirements
Diplomatic clearances or permits required for area or type of activity
Legislations about (small) USV’s is scarce and are currently being developed at national level by different nations. Each mission will therefore be subject to specific evaluation.
Additional training required
VLIZ will provide specific familiarisation training to ensure users have a comprehensive understanding of the potential of marine robots and the used sensors, enabling them to effectively utilize these tools to fulfill their research objectives. The training will be provided and organized by the Infrastructure Operator, and can be arranged online or in classroom in preparation of the survey.