The Bathydrone is an aquatic surface unmanned system designed to reduce the complexity of in-situ sample collection and data gathering. The 5kg system can carrying various payloads and is capable of autonomous missions.

My role for this project was to lay down the groundwork and prove the functionality of the concept to customers. Starting from a base idea of the product, I explored potential payloads and mission profiles with potential customers. Using a combination of off-the-shelf and bespoke parts, the initial version of the Bathydrone was soon born and with it a functional prototype capable of showcasing its features. These include a water collection system, a mission profile for underwater mapping, and interface with MissionPlanner and QGroundControl for planning and guidance. The simple waterproof and rugged design is my favourite contribution to this project, as it makes it easy for the user to confidently use the system the way they want.