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IKTPLUSS-IKT og digital innovasjon

Mission-oriented autonomous systems with small satellites for maritime sensing, surveillance and communication

Alternative title: Dedikerte autonome systemer med små satellitter for maritim observasjon, overvåking og kommunikasjon

Awarded: NOK 16.1 mill.

Remote maritime environments such as open oceans, polar regions, and some coastal regions are characterized by very limited infrastructure for sensing, surveillance and communication that can support critically important functions in the modern society. This includes oceanographic studies, climate research, resource management, environmental monitoring, industrial exploration and exploitation of resources, fisheries, aquaculture, maritime transportation, search and rescue, security, and numerous other applications. Recently, autonomous agents and robots that are augmenting and replacing conventional ships, aircraft and observation technology. Such systems enable not only significant reduction in costs, and increased safety, but even more importantly they provide much more information about the observed targets and features of scientific interest by taking advantage of the complementary and coordinated capabilities of the autonomous assets related to mobility, sensors, and spatiotemporal scales. A concerted and unified cross-disciplinary approach is taken for designing, making and operating small satellites as parts of an autonomous system for maritime sensing, surveillance and communication. The project develops two satellites and two payloads that contains a hyper spectral camera and a software defined radio for communication with buoys and other sensor nodes in the Arctic. Applications in marine biology such as monitoring of algal blooms and plankton are key drivers, e.g. for aquaculture applications. The first satellite (HYPSO-1) has a custom designed payload with a hyperspectral imager and the possibility to process data on-board such that critical data can be downloaded quickly for real-time monitoring. Research has so far focused on analysis and design of the system as well as development of algorithms and software for data analysis. The system also includes use of an autonomous surface vessel with sensors that can give more detailed measurements at the ocean surface. This system was commissioned in orbit in January 2022 and is a platform for testing more efficient methods for remote sensing by small satellites and robotic agents under coordinated control. This was successfully tested for phytoplankton bloom observation in field trials in Frohavet in March-April 2022 and Ny-Ålesund in May 2022.

This project has been an extremely important catalyst for several other ongoing and future activities and projects. HYPSO-1 and HYPSO-2 are in-orbit research platforms that will be used to collect hyperspectral ocean data for many other projects. The data processing software onboard HYPSO-1 and HYPSO-2 can be upgraded in orbit to test new algorithms and extend functionality. HYPSO-1 and HYPSO-2 are part of a system-of-systems for ocean observation, that is now viewed as an observational pyramid that involves aerial drones, autonomous surface vessels (including the renewable energy powered AutoNaut), autonomous underwater vehicles and other agents. In-orbit interference detection has be demonstrated with use of the LUME-1 satellite and on post-processed data from the NorSat-2 satellite, and the results are published. The outcomes of this project will be exploited at least in the following projects - HYPSCI – focusing of science applications of HYPSO; large interdisciplinary project - ARIEL – focusing on onboard AI with hyperspectral data processing; IKTPLUSS - AWAS – in-situ water analysis using AI on autonomous surface vessel; IKTPLUSS - Lavutslipps verdikjede for havbruk til havs – Green Platform project that aim to develop algal warning system prototype for the aquaculture industry. - SOS – system-of-systems with application to harmful algal bloom warning; IKTPLUSS - Water quality observation system for Norwegian lakes and coastal waters in collaboration with NIVA (Norwegian Institute for Water Research). Finally, NTNU is strengthening its education on space systems with new specializations from 2023 on space systems engineering (cybernetics and robotics master program, and electronic system design master program).

Remote maritime environments such as open oceans, polar regions, and some coastal regions are characterized by very limited infrastructure for sensing, surveillance and communication that can support critically important functions in the modern society. This includes oceanographic studies, climate research, resource management, environmental monitoring, industrial exploration and exploitation of resources, fisheries, maritime transportation, search and rescue, security, and numerous other applications. A disruptive change in approach to solve these problems in currently taking place, enabled by the use of autonomous agents and robots that are augmenting and replacing conventional ships, aircraft and observation technology. Networks of autonomous underwater vehicles, autonomous surface vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles are capable of coordinated missions executed in concert with conventional vehicles, buoys and fixed sensor networks. Such ubiquitous autonomous cyber-physical systems enable not only significant reduction in costs, and increased safety, but even more importantly they provide much more information about the observed targets and features of scientific interest by taking advantage of the complementary and coordinated capabilities of the autonomous assets related to mobility, sensors, and spatio-temporal scales. We propose a concerted and unified cross-disciplinary focus on designing, building and operating small satellites as parts of an autonomous system for maritime sensing, surveillance and communication. The research activities at NTNU?s Center of Excellence on Autonomous Marine Operations and Systems (NTNU-AMOS) are strongly contributing to this vision with significant research activities and technological developments, with one main exception: The study of using small satellites as a key part of the system. The proposed project's main strategic objective is therefore to fill this gap, by establishing a research platform and partnerships.

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IKTPLUSS-IKT og digital innovasjon