AQUAshuttle
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The AQUAshuttle III is a robust, high speed towed undulating vehicle with a proven record in use on high speed Naval vessels and ships of opportunity. As with the NνShuttle, it can be operated completely autonomously from a nonconducting cable, as it powers itself during operation and stores its undulation instructions within an inbuilt controller. It can therefore be deployed from a simple non-conducting cable, allowing the user to utilise existing winches or capstans. When used with a conducting tow cable, real-time data display and vehicle control is available. AQUAshuttle's has a payload bay capable of holding a number of instruments including Chelsea’s MINIpack CTD-F sensor suite, Plankton Sampler, GLOWtracka bioluminescence sensor and UV AQUAtracka fluorimeter for Gelbstoff and hydrocarbon monitoring. |
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- Applications and Features
Applications - Oceanographic data gathering from ships of opportunity
- Ecosystem health monitoring
- Real-time two dimensional data gathering in support of oceanographic modelling
- Pollution monitoring and dye tracing studies
- Sea truthing for satellite remote sensing
- Continuous plankton monitoring and sampling
- Estuary, coastal zone and open ocean surveys
- Local area site assessment
Features - Highly stable, light weight and robust
- Versatile payload configuration
- Generates its own power for vehicle control
- Wide tow speed range (8 to 25 knots)
- Pre-programmable or real time control
- Fast data acquisition (logged or real-time)
- Undulating depth range from 0 to 135m
- Undulation wavelength 800m to 4km
- Description
The AQUAshuttle III is a stable, highly robust, versatile undulating towed vehicle for deploying a wide range of oceanographic monitoring equipment. Designed and developed by Chelsea Technologies Group and the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, UK, it has a proven record of reliability over many thousands of miles of operation.
The vehicle has a strong glass reinforced plastic body with a robust integral stainless steel framework, which can accommodate a wide range of sensor payloads. Its 'flight' profile is maintained by a servo-controlled elevator, the servo being powered by the vehicle's own impeller driven alternator.
Real-time control and data display enables the operator to observe the two-dimensional oceanographic conditions and adjust the flight parameters accordingly. Capable of tow speeds from 8 to 25 knots, AQUAshuttle will undulate from the surface to 135 metres. The stand-alone capability, ease of handling, high data rate and versatility of sensor and sampling packages make this a cost effective and productive platform for large-scale data collection. With the growing need to monitor diverse marine ecosystems on a regular basis, AQUAshuttle has a proven record of extensive use on research vessels and ships of opportunity. AQUAshuttles have been supplied to environmental agencies, scientific laboratories and military establishments throughout the world. It has a payload bay capable of holding a number of instruments including Chelsea Technologies Group’s MINIpack CTD-F sensor suite, Plankton Sampler, GLOWtracka bioluminescence sensor and UV AQUAtracka fluorimeter for Gelbstoff and hydrocarbon monitoring. It can also be fitted with third party instrumentation.- Specification
The standard AQUAshuttle package comprises the underwater vehicle, depth sensor, alternator and servo control system. AQUAshuttle Body Length (body): 1.06m Height: 0.50m Width: (including wings) 0.72m Weight (including Servo Control, In Air) 66kg Weight (including servo contro, excluding Logger Port & Sensors) In Water 45kg
In Air 66kgOperating Profile Control: Self-contained processor control of elevator servo from pre-programmed profile or real-time communications Depth Range: 0 to 70m unfaired (135m faired) typically Towing Speed: 8 to 25 knots Drive / Climb Speed: 1 m/s maximum Engineering Details Flight Programme: Input from computer via RS422 link Elevator servo: Digital control with depth sensor Power: Impeller driven alternator powering digital servo above 5 knots Material: Strengthened glass fibre reinforced plastic body; 316 stainless steel frame and towing yoke Support Systems Winch: Dedicated winch with slip ring assembly only required when used in real-time mode with power/data communication to surface deck unit. When towing on a bare cable, a standard ships capstan may be used. Cable: Rochester 7-H-314A or equivalent for real-time deployments Fairing: Fathom Flexnose(R) fairing is used for increased depth and undulation range performance Typical Instrumentation Payload Combinations of: CTD, Fluorimeter, Transmissometer, Turbidity, Bioluminescence, Irradiance meter, Optical plankton recorder, Plankton Sampler, Nitrate/Nitrate sensor, and SeaWifs bands sensors. - Deployment
Learn more about your options for deployment - Winches, Cables and Fairing
- Deck Units
- Downloads
