Adapting a casting winch for a non-stop wave propelled USV

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Title
Adapting a casting winch for a non-stop wave propelled USV

CoPED ID
f6384912-80d4-4857-81ef-487ca057f6d1

Status
Closed


Value
£215,970

Start Date
Feb. 1, 2023

End Date
July 31, 2023

Description

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This project is to adapt and develop a COTS casting winch to operate to 100m deep from the wave propelled AutoNaut uncrewed surface vessel (USV). Because the USV does not stop, and operates in the most extreme environments, this presents a special innovation challenge to achieve 100m plus, with 100% reliability.

The USV has proven ability to operate offshore for over 115 days and 4,000 nautical miles in all weather and without a supporting mothership. As such it is an ideal zero carbon platform for observing UK offshore and deep ocean biodiversity.

This is particularly relevant as floating offshore wind power (FLOW) is developed further offshore.

The winch will extend the horizon of USV observation. If successful, the innovation also presents a significant global market opportunity in science, as well as defence, Oil and Gas, FLOW and other commercial applications.

Winch sensor applications include CTD, camera deployment, profiling of currents, water quality, sound velocity, and also passive acoustic monitoring (PAM).

AutoNauts present special challenges for winch use. They do not stop because the wave propulsion is continuous, and for the same reason it surges. Until now no commercially available winch has been suitable for mounting in this 5m vessel.

We have now identified that the OSIL 'Micro Profiling Winch' should be suitable, with adaptations specific to the above challenges.

This proposal is to:

1.Fit and integrate the OSIL winch into a 5m AutoNaut

2.To design and build a deployment housing for sensors.

3.To design and fit a suitable emergency line-cutter.

4.To dry test the winch deployment.

5.To sea trial and prove the winch, sensor, and blue tooth data transfer. The sea trial area requires more than 100m depth. Therefore, for economy and practicality it is proposed to conduct the sea trial in Loch Ness, which offers a short distance to reach 100m+ depths, and the opportunity to make immediate adjustments.

AUTONAUT LIMITED LEAD_ORG
AUTONAUT LIMITED PARTICIPANT_ORG

Mike Poole PM_PER

Subjects by relevance
  1. Water quality

Extracted key phrases
  1. Winch sensor application
  2. Winch deployment
  3. Osil winch
  4. Winch use
  5. Available winch
  6. Stop wave
  7. USV observation
  8. M deep
  9. M AutoNaut
  10. M vessel
  11. AutoNaut uncrewed surface vessel
  12. Special innovation challenge
  13. M depth
  14. Wave propulsion
  15. Offshore wind power

Related Pages

UKRI project entry

UK Project Locations