A new patent for netH2O
This week brings a new milestone for Elements Works: we have filed a new patent in the field of autonomous drones for aquatic monitoring.
For a long time, our work has combined two ideas: smart buoys that monitor the sea, and drones that can operate without staff on site. Together, they are netH2O, our platform for smart buoys and drones. The patent we have just filed covers how the drones launch from the platform and return to it on their own — automatically, even in remote and offshore waters.
Autonomous launch and recovery
Launch and recovery is one of the most challenging parts of working at sea. When drones can return to the platform on their own, monitoring can continue without a team on site. We can keep monitoring sites for longer, build a more continuous record of the aquatic environment, and reach areas that are difficult to operate by hand.
Smart buoys and drones, working together
This patent is one part of a bigger picture: the netH2O platform, where smart buoys and autonomous drones work together to help protect our coasts, ports, and offshore sites. It is an early step, and there is more to come as the work continues.