SphyrnaALV constellation

Identification

Ocean data collection is an essential aspect to improve the global understanding of the ocean. Similar to satellites in the sea, the SphyrnaALV are 12m and 15m long, remote-controlled vessels, which each have an operational autonomy of 10 months thanks to solar and wind energy production.

Today, oceanographic data is mostly collected in 3 different ways: via scientific exploration vessels, drifting buoys or satellites. These 3 complementary solutions to each other, each have their limits; the high operational cost and therefore the parsimony of deployment of scientific exploration vessels thus limited in time and in the marine space, an exploration area constrained by drifting buoys because of their dependence on sea currents as at their source d energy conditioning their lifespan, visibility limited to a few meters deep and data based mainly on optical or altimetric technologies for satellites. SphyrnaALVs can carry up to a ton of measuring equipment. They make possible to collect no less than 50 different types of data, transmitted in real time, for a cost divided by 50 compared to “classic” scientific vessels.