Gallery

Learning more about the fish

June 5th

In the footsteps of the Infante....and an end.

May 23rd

Ponta da Piedade near Lagos at the end of the experiment.
Ponta da Piedade near Lagos at the end of the experiment.
Ponta da Piedade near Lagos at the end of the experiment.
Ponta da Piedade near Lagos at the end of the experiment.
Ponta da Piedade near Lagos at the end of the experiment.
Ponta da Piedade near Lagos at the end of the experiment.
Ponta da Piedade near Lagos at the end of the experiment.
Ponta da Piedade near Lagos at the end of the experiment.
Ponta da Piedade near Lagos at the end of the experiment.
Sagres and the home of the Infante, Henry of Portugal in the 16th century and which was the starting point of the great discoveries of the Portuguese.
Swimming in the waters off the Sacred Mount or Sagres, which was the 'end of the world' for many till the onset of the age of exploration in the 15th century.
Sagres and the home of the Infante, Henry of Portugal in the 16th century and which was the starting point of the great discoveries of the Portuguese.
Sagres and the home of the Infante, Henry of Portugal in the 16th century and which was the starting point of the great discoveries of the Portuguese.
At the lighthouse of Cabo de São Vicente
Going out with the sunset. The team at Cape St. Vincent, the southern most tip of Europe and Portugal.
Na Praia do Beliche.
At the Praia do Beliche.
At the Praia do Beliche, Sagres with US Embassy Science Fellow, Chris Anderson.
Group photo at Cape St. Vincent light house close to sunset.
Zé Pinto and Kanna at Ponta da Piedade near Lagos at the end of the experiment.

The great cleanup....for a day of interaction

May 21st

ONR Global PM Ellen Livingston flew in from London to review the project and talk to all the participants. Here she interacts with the science team.
The day was packed with details of what we had done. Ellen patiently listened to our work and complemented us all on the effort.
Presentations followed with short breaks in between. Lara talking about the Molas and tagging.
Presentations followed with short breaks in between. Zé talked about the HUB and Neptus.
Frédéric talking about T-REX and deliberation on AUVs and UAVs.
Frederik Leira talked about AMOS and NTNU and their participation in the project.
But before the visitors came, everyone was busy cleaning up. Not that we were a messy bunch; but to leave a good impression.
Ellen interacting with our women graduate students.
Javier talking about the success of modeling and prediction.
Kanna talking about the overall experiment goals, including the important role of outreach.
João looking to the future of such experiments in monitoring and surveillance of MPAs.
João looking to the future of such experiments in monitoring and surveillance of MPAs.
Ellen too gave a short pitch about ONR Global and its role.
Ellen interacting with João and Kanna.
Viewing the hardware and software.
Another visitor that day was Lars Lovlie of the Norwegian Defense Establishment (FFI) who has an interest in UAVs.

An outreach day

May 20th

Outreach to 8th graders in Porto via video from the farm house. Fortuna, Zé, João Pereira and Lara answering questions from the inquisitive.
Outreach to 8th graders in Porto via video from the farm house. Fortuna, Zé, João Pereira and Lara answering questions from the inquisitive.
Zé Pinto right before the interaction
João Pereira getting things ready
Kanna Rajan
Lara Sousa
Marina on the other end with the kids as seen on the video link.
8th graders in Porto talking to researchers at the farm house.
Filipe Ferreira at Vila do Conde with the students
João Pereira shows off the tags he and Renato built.
Showing the Xplorer AUV to 8th graders in Porto.
Showing the Xplorer AUV to 8th graders in Porto.
Lara responding to questions
Wrap up time after a full hour of interaction.
Wrap up time after a full hour of interaction.
Back at work, João Pereira pulling together the parts of a simple (yet robust) drifter to get ground truth on surface currents.
Doing what was needed; soldering for the drifter.

The weather intrudes...a rough day out

May 19th

With no Mola's popping up, the AUV team approaches the WaveGlider to perform an AUV survey around it.
The AUV teams rented fishing boat, Vitamin Sea, approaching the dock in Olhao.
On the Vitamin Sea, the morning transit thru the Olhao channel.
A bushed Joao Tasso taking a break from the beating the AUV team received with the weather moving in suddenly mid-morning.
Artur monitoring the WaveGlider for a potential AUV/WG coordinated survey of the 'Mola corridor'.
Artur monitoring the WaveGlider for a potential AUV/WG coordinated survey of the 'Mola corridor'.
Meanwhile, Joao Pereira and Fortuna build a simple drogue for an equally simple drifter, to validate model surface current measurements for Javier and Francisco.
Meanwhile, Joao Pereira and Fortuna build a simple drogue for an equally simple drifter, to validate model surface current measurements for Javier and Francisco.
How to deal to frustration of the weather (and the ship)? Watching you tube videos....Pereira, Joel and Artur having a laugh.
The entire apparatus drying after a pool test.

WG out to sea...finally! AUV ops and another visit

May 18th

Some good news and a languorous day

May 17th

João Pereira on Javier's advice decided to build a cheap (< $ 100) drifter to see how surface currents could be validated in the ocean model without resorting to expensive equipment. Here some colorful cloth purchased by Pereira, intended for a drogue at 2 meters for the drifter.
News that a reasonable vessel was found, pricey but viable, for the WaveGlider lifted spirits. It also got Artur and Kanna going on understanding launch & recovery of the vehicle.
News that a reasonable vessel was found, pricey but viable, for the WaveGlider lifted spirits. It also got Artur and Kanna going on understanding launch & recovery of the vehicle.
Renato and João Pereira did most of the leg work to get a hold of a vessel for deploying the WaveGlider. They consulted João very often.

More planning and hand-wringing....and a visit from IPMA sponsors

May 16th

Lunch at the farm house.
Earlier in the day, as news kept coming in about both weather conditions and which vessels could potentially be hired, we strategized repeatedly.
Earlier in the day, as news kept coming in about both weather conditions and which vessels could potentially be hired, we strategized repeatedly.
Earlier in the day, as news kept coming in about both weather conditions and which vessels could potentially be hired, we strategized repeatedly.
Nuno Lourenco, our IPMA sponsor (in red t-shirt) along with Teresa and Marco, all from IPMA on a late evening visit to the farm house.
Nuno Lourenco, our IPMA sponsor (in red t-shirt) along with Teresa and Marco, all from IPMA on a late evening visit to the farm house.
Nuno Lourenço, our IPMA sponsor (in red t-shirt) along with Teresa and Marco, all from IPMA on a late evening visit to the farm house.
Nuno Lourenço o nosso apoio do IPMA (de t-shirt vermelha) com Teresa e Marco, todos do IPMA numa visita ao fim do dia na quinta.
Zé explaining the hardware an X8 UAV and a Seacon to Marco.
Zé a apresentar o hardware do UAV X8 e do Seacon ao Marco.
Zé explaining the hardware an X8 UAV and a Seacon to Marco.
Zé explaining the hardware an X8 UAV and a Seacon to Marco.
Zé explaining the hardware an X8 UAV and a Seacon to Marco.
Javier explaining the ocean model predictions we are using and how they contribute to our understanding with Mola movements.

Mounting worries and a lecture in Physical Oceanography of the Algarve

May 15th

Paulo Relvas, Univ. of Algarve, gives us all a fascinating lecture about the physical forcings in the inner shelf off of the Algarve.
Paulo Relvas, Univ. of Algarve, gives us all a fascinating lecture about the physical forcings in the inner shelf off of the Algarve.
Rapt attention to Paulo's informal lecture.
With results from recent papers and talks and a long time observing the Algarve coast, Paulo provides a very detailed and nuanced view of how (and why) the water moves the way it does.
Lara and Nuno going over temperature plots prior to the informal presentation.
Nuno gave a brief presentation about our single day of surveys around a Mola and discussing remote sensing data.
Nuno describing the tagging process to Paulo and the rest of us.
Nuno describing the tagging process to Paulo and the rest of us.
We in turn show Paulo what we've been wanting to do in our experiment. Javier and Kanna explaining the situational awareness display of Neptus and discussing the tags on Molas.
We in turn show Paulo what we've been wanting to do in our experiment. Javier and Kanna explaining the situational awareness display of Neptus and discussing the tags on Molas.
We in turn show Paulo what we've been wanting to do in our experiment. Javier and Kanna explaining the situational awareness display of Neptus and discussing the tags on Molas.
Paulo and the 'drones'; he found the uses of UAVs very useful for his own studies. Discussing the specifics of the X8 with Fortuna and Kanna.
Paulo and the 'drones'; he found the uses of UAVs very useful for his own studies. Discussing the specifics of the X8 with Fortuna and Kanna.
After lunch, Paulo also took us by the local IPMA research station. Talking with geologist Teresa Drago as she shows us the various containers to grow mussels, oysters and clams at the IPMA research station.
After lunch, Paulo also took us by the local IPMA research station. Talking with geologist Teresa Drago as she shows us the various containers to grow mussels, oysters and clams at the IPMA research station.
A research lab at the IPMA research station.
A research lab at the IPMA research station.
A brief chat and look around at a lab working on growing different kinds of oysters at the IPMA research station
A research lab at the IPMA research station.

A weekend during the week

May 14th

Wandering in lovely Tavira.
Wandering in lovely Tavira.
An informal talk about modeling for our region of operation with Winds, currents, bathymetry, temperature and chlorophyll courtesy of data from Portugal and Spain.
Javier's talk on modeling.
The audience at the modeling talk at the farm house.
The audience at the modeling talk at the farm house.
Wandering around in Tavira after lunch. And why is it that the biologists always lead?
ts hard to get lost in tiny Tavira. But looks like Javier and Kanna did!
Wandering around in Tavira after lunch
Wandering in lovely Tavira. Francisco and Fortuna at a road reflector.

At last the first AUV survey around a Mola! and the hunt for a coastal UAV launch site

May 13th

Zé and João to the right discussing the reactive approach to targeting multiple Mola positions on the NRP Argos. A crew member looks on.
The NRP Argos with our Manta box tethered to the rail aft deck.
Zé studying his Neptus console on the NRP Argos trying to understand the transit time of the Xplore from one survey to the next doing a yo-yo. The yo-yo transit was important since the vehicle cut thru the Mola 'corridor' that we have been seeing the last few Mola's after release from tagging
As the morning wore on, as a contingency, Filipe, Joel and Artur were dispatched in the van to check out various areas along the coast to operate an X8 in support of ship operations. This was with the hope that the Molas might wander closer to shore (within 10km) and therefore a UAV be dispatched to provide visual confirmation. This needed the scouting to be done for appropriate launch/recovery sites. So off went our merry fellows trying to discover new places all along the Algarve to fly
...and trying to jam the large van into small coastal access roads. Sharp eyed observers might also note the drivers of the Spanish van were Portuguese!
Engineering students systematically keeping track of potential UAV sites along the Algarve coast.
The business end of the NRP Argos with the motto of the Marinha "A pátria honrai que a pátria vos contempla" which translates loosely to "Honor the country as the country is always looking to you".
Onboard the NRP Argos after recovering the Xplore-1 from 2.5 surveys of an ARGOS tagged Mola.
The launch and recovery on the NRP Argos is unique, and it involves a RHIB. Here the RHIB goes off to recover the vehicle from the azure waters of the Algarve which was 'like a lake'.
Meanwhile on shore, the scruffy crew at the farm house was watching the large screen Neptus console and providing recommendations for which Mola's to target and follow to those on the Argos. Nuno and Kanna in the central room of the farm house talking over a chat channel to Zé Pinto. Recall, our satcom equipment is stuck on the disabled Diplodus; this connection to the ship, thanks to the extended range of GSM.
Javier and Francisco continued to tweak their ocean model output to provide better predictions, including trying to validate their surface current output with what was actually being seen at sea.
Back 'at the ranch' Fortuna in anticipation of flying, gets an X8 ready.
Frequent peeks on the Neptus console to keep track of events at sea and the unpredictability of the Mola's kept the excitement going till 3pm when Argos ops wrapped up. Frederic and Javier peering at the layered model output (with weather predictions) overlaid with bathymetry and tag trajectories off Olhão's coast.
More food! And with the legitimate excuse of celebrating Frederic's birthday, more sweets and eating. This time while wrapping up the day post-debrief.
The result of the survey around the fish tagged with ARGOS-164

Tracking swimming PIs, first tag & release and Marinha to the rescue

May 12th

Mola with SPOT-13 tag being released from the Tunipex boat.
Another Mola, this with an ARGOS tag being released. The release was near the tuna pen off of Olhão.
Mola with the ARGOS tag taking off.
A job well done. Ana and Lara at the end of the day late afternoon after tagging.
Launching an X8 with lots of eyes and video cameras to evaluate the catapult alteration.
Debugging the catapult. From left: Filipe, Joao, Fortuna and Joel.
Debugging the catapult.
The styrofoam Mola and 2 SPOT tags
Javier holding the Mola dummy
End of day briefing and its attendees.
End of day briefing and its attendees.
End of day briefing and its attendees.
Quick dinner
Nuno leading a discussion of the correlation between a test Mola's tracks the previous week, with three Mola's tagged this morning.
Joao and Kanna with the tagged styrofoam Mola swimming off the coast of Vila Real de Santo Antonio and being tracked by an X8 at 100m.
Joao and Kanna with the tagged styrofoam Mola swimming off the coast of Vila Real de Santo Antonio and being tracked by an X8 at 100m.

A working sunday

May 11th

A forma de flutuação pretendida dos marcadores ARGOS; isto é na piscina da casa.
The dummy (styrofoam) Mola designed by Nuno which will be deployed by the UAV team with a tethered SPOT tag for visually ID-ing from the air in Vila Real de Santo António
Ana assembling the tethers to the ARGOS tags.
Filipe with the simulated Mola.
Taping the 'fish' to make it visually look like the real thing; from left Filipe, Nuno and Joao Pereira.
Jorge Fontes checking out the Seacon AUV.
The simulated Mola with tag being tested in the pool.
Lara burning the right length of the tether.
João at work in the front patio.
Meanwhile an animated discussion between Artur and Joel on UAVs and piloting; Jorge with his back to the camera, working after a swim.
Assembled tags numbered and accounted for on the pool table at the farm house.
End of day fun, just before dinner.
Frédéric taking a break from programming.
A working Sunday for all. People gathered around pitching in to build FEUP designed ARGOS tags with a tether. From left: Filipe, Renato, Jorge Fontes, Nuno, João, Fortuna and Ana Couto.
ARGOS and SPOT tags side by side for comparisons. Their resins are quite different as is the placement of the antenna.
Assembled FEUP designed SPOT tags marked for deployment these coming weeks.

Strategizing and some down time

May 10th

João Pereira leads the all-hands inside the central room with all in attendance.
João Pereira leads the all-hands inside the central room with all in attendance.
João Pereira leads the all-hands inside the central room with all in attendance.
Tavira on the river.
Artur, Margarida, Frederic and Ze follow the rest in Tavira.
Javier and Filipe lost in the side streets.
Nuno Queiroz leads the way into Tavira.
A slow lunch for the hungry team, in downtown Tavira.
A slow lunch for the hungry team, in downtown Tavira.
A late afternoon strategy session in progress to figure out all options with the onset of our problems with the R/V Diplodus.
A late afternoon strategy session in progress to figure out all options with the onset of our problems with the R/V Diplodus.
João leads the strategy discussion.
A return to the farm house and working to catch up on email, and bug fixes from the past week's trials.
The communal kitchen getting ready for the evening barbecue with everyone pitching in.
The communal kitchen getting ready for the evening barbecue with everyone pitching in.
Dinner
Dinner, the Infante, Azores and the stars out in the patio at the back of the farm house.
Dinner, the Infante, Azores and the stars out in the patio at the back of the farm house.
Dinner, the Infante, Azores and the stars out in the patio at the back of the farm house.
Dinner, the Infante, Azores and the stars out in the patio at the back of the farm house.

A big disapointment....

May 9th

Unloading the Wave Glider too install the missing electronic box.
Unloading the Wave Glider too install the missing electronic box.
Unloading the Wave Glider too install the missing electronic box.
João Fortuna and Artur Zolich loading Diplodus
Joel Gomes check the satcoms antenna
Joel and Fortuna meanwhile get started on the front deck to assemble an X8 in anticipation of a flight from its deck. The Diplodus is still on the dock.
Just across from the docks, Nuno, Lara, Ana and Francisco pay a visit to the holding tank on shore with some Mola's. These are our mighty backup Sunfish, should no Molas be trapped in the Tuna pen off-shore.
Just across from the docks, Nuno, Lara, Ana and Francisco pay a visit to the holding tank on shore with some Mola's. These are our mighty backup Sunfish, should no Molas be trapped in the Tuna pen off-shore.
Just across from the docks, Nuno, Lara, Ana and Francisco pay a visit to the holding tank on shore with some Mola's. These are our mighty backup Sunfish, should no Molas be trapped in the Tuna pen off-shore.
Margarida Faria waving good bye as they head to sea
Joel Gomes waving good bye as they head to sea
Diplodus sailing way from the dock at Olhão
Diplodus sailing way from the dock at Olhão
A problem found...
Diplodus returning to the dock to assess the problem
The disappointed team returning to shore.
Back at the dock in Olhão, the captain and the crew decide to pull out a part from the bowls of the vessel and discuss the outcome, which turned out to be bleak. First, a cancelation of that days cruise, followed by a non-determinate future sailing. Everyone is dashed and the FEUP crew are forced to return to the farm house subsequently.
With rapid contingency plans made in the farm house on the return, Joao talks to friends in the local Maritime Police, who are more than helpful and allow us to use a remote location just off the Portuguese-Spanish border. Our friends from the Police come to watch our UAV flights with Joao and Kanna and also do traffic control.
The quick operation set up.
The quick operation set up.
The quick operation set up.
Getting the catapult ready
Getting the catapult ready
The Police officers show a lot of interest in how Fortuna controls the X8 using Neptus. Lots of questions ensue.
Margarida and Filipe Ferreira who had arrived just that morning from Porto to augment the UAV team, discuss the positioning of the Pan/Tilt unit.
More flying with Joel, Margarida and Fortuna at the helm. The set up, as can be seen, is very impromptu.
A landing on the rough road with a good headwind to slow down the effects of grazing the bottom (remember no wheels on the UAV), Margarida and Joel recover the X8 after a successful flight. Confidence slowly increased....
Filipe and Joel launch the first X8 mission.
After the not-too-soft a landing, Joel lands an X8 in the (dried) swamp, successfully
The team of Bruno, Marina, Renato, Jorge and Tiago working late into the day to get the ARGOS tags out of the lab at FEUP.

Seacon AUV tests @sea and intense UAV ops @farm house

May 8th

Diplodus ready to leave
Joao Tasso transferring the Seacon AUV from the Diplodous prior to launch. Unlike the Xplore1, the Seacon's outer shell and the nose is more sensitive to being dropped from the ship, making its launch/recovery more complex. As an older (but reliable) vehicle this and another Seacon will be our backup to the Xplore even if their onboard battery life is only about 5 hours in comparison to nearly 24 hours for the Xplore.
Joao Tasso transferring the Seacon AUV from the Diplodous prior to launch. Unlike the Xplore1, the Seacon's outer shell and the nose is more sensitive to being dropped from the ship, making its launch/recovery more complex. As an older (but reliable) vehicle this and another Seacon will be our backup to the Xplore even if their onboard battery life is only about 5 hours in comparison to nearly 24 hours for the Xplore.
AUV Xplore-1 in the water
AUV Xplore-1 in the water
View from the surface; a GoPro camera was installed on Xplore-1
Temperature profile collected by Xplore-1
Our neighbor at the training field
Francisco López from UPCT, helping with the UAV's landing net
Training field
UAV after a landing that damaged the net
Francisco López from UPCT, helping with the UAV tests
Joel Gomes, from FEUP, AUV pilot fixing the net
Joel Gomes and João Pereira, getting ready for another UAV launch
Joel Gomes and João Pereira, getting ready for another UAV launch
Dinner at O Ciclista

More results from sea and air trials, including collaborations with farm animals

May 7th

Frédéric Py and Kanna Rajan workign on the central living room.
The curious animal of the farmhouse
Joel Gomes keeping an eye on the UAV flying
João Pereira (FEUP), Artur Zolich (NTNU) and Margarida Faria (FEUP) after one more successful UAV launch.
UAV X8 after landing on the training field
A brief moment of rest at the farmhouse pool
UAV team at lauch time in the farmhouse
UAV team at lauch time in the farmhouse
João Sousa carrying the LAUV Seacon-3, on the Diplodus. One of AUVs that will be used in this experiment
Captain Daniel at the helm of Diplodus.
Renato Caldas launching the AUV Xplore from the stern of the Diplodus.
Crew from the Diplodus curious while Renato Caldas commands the AUV with an Android smartphone
The small AUV operation room, in Diplodus
Preparing launch on the Diplodus
Lunch time for the AUV team and Diplodus crew.
Crew from Diplodus recovering the AUV.
Xplore back on Diplodus deck.
Zé Pinto the footage captured by the camera installed on top of the AUV Xplore.
A big cargo vessel chasing Diplodus.
A small fishing boat chasing Diplodus.
LAUV Seacon on Diplodus deck
End of the day debrief at the farmhouse
End of the day debrief at the farmhouse

First sea day, more UAV tests and settling in into the farm house

May 6th

FEUP researchers Renato Caldas and Zé Pinto talking to the Diplodus crew as we steam out of the Olhão harbor for the first at-sea day. The crew is incredibly flexible, generous and open. So we're very lucky to be working with them.
Captain Daniel and João Tasso. Leaving Olhão harbor
A Neptus console in the farm house being used for situational awareness. The green box shows the intended area of operation for the first day with the Diplodus. The region was chosen given its proximity to a real tagged Mola also shown in the image. As noted, operational errors shortened the day. This is precisely what the trial days were meant for, however.
Diplodus Crew
João Tasso and Zé Pinto brief the captain about the day's goals as he pilots the Diplodus from the Olhão estuary.
Return of the Diplodus back into Olhão after the brief mission with Xplore-1
Return of the Diplodus back into Olhão after the brief mission with Xplore-1
Return of the Diplodus back into Olhão after the brief mission with Xplore-1
The UAV team at the farm house discusses the parameterization issues which are dogging the two X8's 02 and 03. From left Joel, João Pereira and João Fortuna.
Preparing to launch X8 UAV
Preparing to launch X8 UAV
Preparing to launch X8 UAV
Preparing to launch X8 UAV
Manta gateway, communication hub
Fortuna debugging the UAV controller from the farm house. He is connected to the vehicle and its launch (just across the road in a field) with wireless data and voice communications.
Preparing to launch X8 UAV
UAV X8 launch
Bringing the launcher back to the farm house at the end of the day for UAV ops.
Ana Couto and Lara Sousa in the central room at the farm house.
Folks in the central room in the farm house just prior to the daily debrief and planning session in the evenings.
Getting ready for a typical Portuguese meal at the O Ciclista.
Getting ready for a typical Portuguese meal at the O Ciclista.

Mob-ing, UAV tests and tagging Molas

May 5th

Training with Wave Glider at Olhão

May 2nd

R/V Diplodus at dock
Ryan Carlon from Liquid Robotics working on the Wave Glider
Wave Glider on board of Diplodus
Fortuna and Joel from FEUP training with Ryan Carlon
Preparing the Wave Glider to be loaded on to Diplodus
Crew from Diplodus fixing the crane
Loading Wave Glider on to Diplodus
Loading Wave Glider on to Diplodus
Heading out to sea to start the training
Wave Glider's monitoring software
Wave Glider's monitoring software
Wave Glider at sea
Recovering the Wave Glider
Recovering the Wave Glider
Crew from Diplodus and João Fortuna recovering the Wave Glider
Recovering the Wave Glider
Recovering the Wave Glider
Recovering the Wave Glider

Presentation to Students

April 29th

Building the Tags

April 29th