NOAA and Partners Deploy C-Star USVs to Collect Hurricane Data
NOAA, in partnership with The University of Southern Mississippi and with the robotics company Oshen, launched five small uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) called C-Stars in the waters off the U.S. Virgin Islands on August 31st to collect critical data to better understand hurricane development and activity. The deployment is the latest effort by NOAA to advance data collection to improve hurricane research and forecasting.Two additional C-Stars will be stored in Gulfport, Mississippi, and will be ready for launch ahead of actively developing storms in the Gulf this fall.“Understanding weather
Saildrone: USVs Have Only Scratched the Surface of Maritime Security
of unscrewed surface vehicles (USVs), is redefining how oceans are explored, monitored and protected.At the helm is Brian Connon, vice president of ocean mapping and a former U.S. Navy oceanographer. After leaving the Navy, Connon joined a hydrographic research center at the University of Southern Mississippi, which lead to his role at Saildrone. Now, four and a half years in, Connon has helped establish and scale up the company's ocean mapping capabilities.Saildrone sets the standardIn just over a decade, Saildrone has logged more than two million nautical miles and 50,000 days at sea, from the
NOAA, Partners to Announce Findings From 2025 Gulf of America "Dead Zone" Monitoring
the record-setting 8,776 square-mile dead zone observed in 2017.During the teleconference, speakers will discuss factors influencing this year’s zone size, potential impacts to living marine resources, the accuracy of the spring hypoxia forecast, and ongoing federal and state initiatives in the Mississippi River watershed focused on reducing nutrient runoff into the Gulf.Speakers will include:Cassandra Glaspie, Associate Professor, Louisiana State University; Chief scientist of survey cruiseSean Corson, Director, NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean ScienceGretchen Oelsner, Hydrologist
Kraken Robotics Banks $3m in SAS Sales
new orders totaling more than $3 million for Kraken Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS). The Kraken SAS systems will be integrated on small and medium-class uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs) for clients in Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America.One of the orders is for the University of Southern Mississippi’s Roger F. Wicker Center for Ocean Enterprise, which will be outfitting a variety of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) with Kraken SAS to support research, development, testing, and evaluation activities.Kraken SAS integrates the capability to perform
Ocean Aero to Continuously Monitor the Port of Gulfport Autonomously
in the aftermath of severe weather events. Ensuring the channel and harbor is clear for ship traffic is critical to the rapid reopening of a port following a hurricane.A key aspect of the initiative, according to Kelly Lucas, Vice President for Research at the University of Southern Mississippi, is leveraging data analysis and prediction, which USM plans to provide. “Small, nearly imperceptible changes can accumulate over time, evolving into significant issues that impact port operations. By identifying these subtle shifts early on through patterns found in the data, we can
TGS Kicks Off New Multi-Client OBN Project in Gulf of America
, a global provider of energy data and intelligence, has launched a new multi-client ultra long offset ocean bottom node (OBN) data acquisition campaign in the Gulf of America.The Amendment 4 project will expand node coverage in TGS' multi-client library, adding over 1,100 square kilometers in the Mississippi Canyon, Ewing Banks, and Grand Isle South areas.The project will feature TGS' Gemini enhanced frequency source, offering lower frequency and improved signal-to-noise for ultra-long offset OBN seismic compared to conventional seismic sources.This advanced frequency source will enhance input
Support for Jones Act, Concern about China Voiced at Maritime Infrastructure Hearing
because it helps to maintain a pool of qualified American mariners that the US relies on to transport goods and its military, in times of peace and war.“Unfortunately, the rise of the shipbuilding industries of global competitors has led to a decline in our own shipbuilding capacity. Coastal Mississippi and the Gulf Coast as a whole, is home to several shipyards employing thousands of Americans. I look forward to discussing ways to reinvigorate this critical industry.”Giving witness testimony, Joe Rella, President, St. Johns Ship Building, Inc., on behalf of Shipbuilders Council of America
Padilla, Murkowski Introduce Bill for Atmospheric River Forecasting
National Weather Service. The legislation was announced as major atmospheric river storms bring high winds, heavy rain, and snowfall to California.Atmospheric rivers - often described as “rivers in the sky” that are hundreds of miles wide and can carry water vapor equivalent to multiple Mississippi Rivers - cause more than 80 percent of flood damage across the West. Climate change will only make these storms increasingly catastrophic - by 2090, atmospheric rivers are expected to cost $2.3 to $3.2 billion in annual damages and increase width by nearly 25 percent. Over 50 atmospheric
USV Hypoxia Mapping Capabilities Verified by Manned Vehicle
SeaTrac has used its SP-48 uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) to map potential hypoxic zones in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico as part of a project that confirmed its performance using data from a crewed vessel.Working in partnership with the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO), SeaTrac sought to prove the effectiveness of an uncrewed system in gathering real-time data in these waters, while also reducing the manpower and resources used in traditional data collection methods.Operational goals included testing and demonstrating sampling procedure
August 2025
