Sensory Buoy Deployable by Autonomous Drones

Drones have gained significant popularity due to their versatility and adaptability across various industries. They are being widely used in agriculture, environmental monitoring, delivery services, and search and rescue operations. Drones have proven to be particularly valuable in tasks that demand flexibility, mobility, and the capability to operate in challenging environments.

Drones have the potential to search for and retrieve buoys from bodies of water, offering a safe and efficient alternative to traditional methods. Buoys are widely used in marine research, coastlines, and waterway maintenance for various purposes. However, retrieving buoys can be difficult and costly, particularly in remote or inaccessible locations. Traditional methods, such as using boats or divers, can be dangerous and time-consuming. UAVs provide a solution by swiftly and securely retrieving buoys without human intervention.

The Fly4Future team has successfully created a water-specific smart sensory buoy that can be deployed by autonomous drones. The optimized construction of this buoy ensures its effectiveness in different water conditions. Equipped with GNSS sensory modules and advanced computers, the buoys themselves are capable of measuring water quality, temperature, and current speed. It also cooperates by communicating vital information about their surrounding environment with the drone for seamless integration and efficient data collection and processing.

Additionally, the buoy can estimate surface currents and provide a 6D state estimation of its own body, which is essential for its capturing in harsh conditions of high waves. It is equipped with communication capabilities for autonomous releasing by drones.

Overall, this buoy enables efficient water sampling, measurement, and data collection, enhancing the capabilities of autonomous UAVs in environmental monitoring and research.

The buoy is equipped with a sturdy handle enabling the drone secure grip.

Autonomous waterproof drone approaches the buoy.