Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Undersee (Enabling Precision Aquaculture with multi-variable real-time sensing and Copernicus Earth Observation data)
Período documentado: 2019-07-01 hasta 2019-12-31
Users will have easy access to a daily management tool that is intended to supply the site manager with relevant and timely information, to make informed management decisions based on actionable data.
During the Phase 1 our team conducted several interviews with potential customers and partners mainly in Portugal, Spain and Norway. We received Letters of Intent from potential customers from the relevant european stakeholders, both from aquaculture producers and environmental agencies. The UNDERSEE project was presented along with 12 other innovators on the main stage of the Aquaculture Innovation Summit in London, UK and our team attended the event AQUANOR at Trondheim, Norway. In both events, we had the opportunity to communicate our vision and get the firts engagement and interest from potential distributors of our service, which could be a great possibility for us in the future.
Phase 1 allowed us to test the market, to deeply study the technical and economic feasibility of our service and to plan the next steps carefully.
In-situ water data collected with an easy-to-install device equipped with water quality sensors, easily adapted to boats, buoys or aquaculture cages -, the UNDERSEE_water. The in-situ data combined with satellite observations and forecasting tools are integrated and visualized in a cloud-platform - the UNDERSEE_cloud.
The UNDERSEE_water system is the first Portuguese ´FerryBox´ system and is similar to those used in Ships of Opportunity programs, where ships are equipped with flow-through systems (usually called 'Ferryboxes'). It consists in a bypass circuit of water to the boat main hydraulic system, where all sensors needed are implemented. These systems are usually operated by Research Centres in the framework of funding programs.
The UNDERSEE_water system have the following advantages comparing with traditional ´Ferryboxes´: 1) Smaller and lighter; 2) Plug and Play solution much simpler to install and operate; 3) Adaptable to boats, buoys and aquaculture cages; 4) Reduced cost compared with existing systems; 5) Low sensor maintenance requirements.