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SeaTrac Systems and The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) have completed phase two of a remotely commanded offshore monitoring mission in the U.S. Gulf, demonstrating scalable, multi-vehicle hypoxia mapping with minimal manpower.
Also known as dead zones, hypoxia zones are areas in which oxygen levels in water are decreased due to nutrient pollution. Research from phase one demonstrated a viable method that used a remotely operated SeaTrac SP-48 uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) to gather 24/7 real-time data, transmitting it from sensors over cellular and satellite connections. The mission proved the USV's ability to collect and transmit data with the accuracy of a crewed effort, thereby greatly reducing cost and increasing operational efficiencies.
Building on the initial successful deployment, the second phase expanded operational scope by deploying two SP-48 USVs simultaneously, both managed by a single shore-based operator. The vehicles collected conductivity, temperature, depth (CTD) and dissolved oxygen (DO) data to map low-oxygen zones critical to fisheries and ecosystem management.
Phase two also introduced extended battery capacity, two wireless-charging AML sondes, and refined power-management strategies. This phase required the vehicles to be deployed from USM’s Marine Research Center harbor instead of the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) in Cocodrie, La., as was done in the first phase. This location change allowed for longer on-station time and increased spatial coverage. Both USVs maintained over-the-horizon connectivity for near-real-time data transmission and quality control.
The offshore mission yielded 123 verified hypoxia data points while operating without onboard crew, reducing fuel use, cost, and personnel exposure compared to traditional survey vessels. Despite a passing tropical weather system, the platforms maintained operations and safe power margins.
“Phase two proves that USVs are fully operational tools in challenging offshore environments, particularly when multiple are used,” said Hobie Boeschenstein, Director of Operations, SeaTrac Systems. “Remotely commanding a fleet of USVs from a shore-based control station with a single operator demonstrates a scalable model that reduces demands on traditional vessels, with reduced fuel consumption and offshore risk -- all while delivering high-quality scientific data. This represents a meaningful shift in how long-duration ocean monitoring and offshore missions can be executed.”
“From a research standpoint, the ability to collect 123 verified hypoxia data points without putting a crew offshore is significant,” said James Thompson, Research Engineer at USM. “The extended endurance, wireless sensor integration, and near-real-time QA/QC allowed us to adapt sampling as conditions evolved. We’re gaining higher spatial resolution data while operating more efficiently than traditional survey methods allow.”
Across both phases, SeaTrac and USM have validated USVs as practical tools for sustained offshore monitoring, offering a pathway to safer, lower-cost, and higher-density ocean data collection in dynamic environments.
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