Design and Exploitation of an Autonomous Surface Vessel for the Study of Sea-Air Interactions

Abstract

The design, development, sea trials and exploitation of the SESAMO (SEa Surface Autonomous MOdular unit) platform, an autonomous surface vessel for the study and characterization of the air-sea interface, are presented. The SESAMO prototype robot, developed by the robotics group of CNR-ISSIA, Genova branch, in strict cooperation with the scientific end-users in the framework of a project of the Italian National Program of Research in Antarctica (PNRA), was able to sample the sea surface microlayer and immediate sub-surface. After satisfactory basic at field trials of the navigation, guidance and control (NGC) and sampling systems, the robotised catamaran was exploited by the scientific end-users for water sample collection in the area of Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea, Antarctica, in the framework of the PNRA project Chemical contamination.