SCOUT TRANSATLANTIC @ 30 DAYS

Autonomous transatlantic solar powered robot boat project

30 DAY UPDATE - HISTORY IN THE MAKING - That's it, 30 days and a historic milestone passed, with progress steady and the world record for an autonomous solar powered surface boat is secured convincingly - with more to come. The many local supporters of the team must be very proud of the achievement. It's no Moon shot, but all of the boating world will be very impressed at the accomplishment, and it is another leap for mankind. 

A hugely expensive US mission that took man to the Moon using 

computers less powerful than the Arduinos used on the Scout

Following on from the Scout Atlantic bash in 2013, in 2020, a team comprising Promare, IBM, and many other technology partners, decided to attempt to cross the Atlantic against the prevailing winds and currents. They set out to build a 100ft craft named Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS) for launch and an attempt, aiming for the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrim Fathers journey starting on the 6th of September 1620.

They never made that date, partly due to Covid 19, but did manage to get a hull in the water for the ceremonies in Plymouth, Devon in 2020. On the 15th June 2021, the unmanned craft departed from Plymouth in England, aiming for Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. You can follow the journey on their blog:  https://mas400.com/dashboard

MAS 400 - The fully autonomous trimaran Setting off from Plymouth, England on the 15th June 2021. There are solar panels, that presumably add to the diesel-electric setup. The idea is to be COLREGs compliant with a self learning program, as such vessels build a database. Much the same as with the current bevy of self-driving robotaxis and robotracks. The question is therefore, will ships beat trucks to the autonomous punch?

RUNNING STATISTICS

Below are the latest figures for Scout. We will be reviewing these statistics regularly. As of the 20th September, Scout seems to having a bad time with average speed down. The good news is that she is still battling her way through and clocking up miles every hour. Scout is averaging 41. 6 miles a day [20-9-13], which is 1.73 mph. A fantastic achievement for the team.

10 SEPTEMBER 2013 STATISTICS: 
Time Elapsed: 17 DAYS: 02 HOURS: 41 MINUTES: 48 SECONDS
Distance from Rhode Island 512.66 MI     Distance to Spain 2908 MI 

Distance traveled by Scout 765.72 M        Velocity 2.3 MI HR
CURRENT STATUS: N 42° 2’ 27.67” W 61° 17’ 16.66”  Compass 96° Waypoint 97° CoG 69°

11 SEPTEMBER 2013 STATISTICS

Time Elapsed: 18 DAYS: 04 HOURS: 51 MINUTES: 28 SECONDS
Distance from Rhode Island 543.18 MI    Distance to Spain 2876 MI 

Distance traveled by Scout 756.84          Velocity 1 MI HR

CURRENT STATUS: N 42° 10’ 43.83” W 60° 41’ 52.66”  Compass137°Waypoint98°CoG17°

12 SEPTEMBER 2013 STATS

Time Elapsed: 19 DAYS: 02 HOURS: 20 MINUTES: 09 SECONDS
Distance from Rhode Island 581.54 MI    Distance to Spain 2836 MI 

Distance traveled by Scout 797.19 MI     Velocity 1.6 MI HR

CURRENT STATUS: N 42° 23’ 14.78”  W 59° 57’ 30.64” Compass 104° Waypoint 98° CoG75°

13 SEPTEMBER 2013 STATS

Time Elapsed: 20 DAYS: 04 HOURS: 14 MINUTES: 22 SECONDS
Distance from Rhode Island 631.42 MI    Distance to Spain 2786 MI 

Distance traveled by Scout 854.39 MI      Velocity 1.4  MI HR

CURRENT STATUS: N 42° 27’ 47.12”  W 58° 59’ 6.94”  Compass 72° Waypoint 98° CoG 11°

14 SEPTEMBER 2013 STATS

Time Elapsed: 21 DAYS: 06 HOURS: 50 MINUTES: 17 SECONDS
Distance from Rhode Island 674.3 mi    Distance to Spain 2740 mi
Distance traveled by Scout 915.7 mi     Velocity 3.5 mi hr

CURRENT STATUS: N 43° 6’ 7.27”  W 58° 11’ 45.64”  Compass 102° Waypoint 99° CoG 66°

Click on the image above to follow progress live

16 SEPTEMBER 2013 STATS
Time Elapsed: 23 DAYS: 03 HOURS: 31 MINUTES: 52 SECONDS
Distance from Rhode Island  731.1 mi     Distance to Spain 2682 mi
Distance traveled by Scout 982.14 mi     Velocity 0.4 mi hr

CURRENT STATUS: N 43° 24’ 7.13”  W 57° 6’ 11.92” Compass 170° Waypoint 100° CoG 77°

17 SEPTEMBER 2013 STATS

Time Elapsed: 24 DAYS: 01 HOURS: 49 MINUTES: 47 SECONDS
Distance from Rhode Island  773.51 mi    Distance to Spain 2640 mi
Distance traveled by Scout 1024.86 mi     Velocity 1.5 mi hr

CURRENT STATUS: N 43° 29’ 3.58”  W 56° 15’ 58.06”  Compass 72° Waypoint 101° CoG 60°

Click on the image above to follow progress live

18 SEPTEMBER 2013 STATS

Time Elapsed: 25 DAYS: 04 HOURS: 12 MINUTES: 33 SECONDS
Distance from Rhode Island 808.36 mi    Distance to Spain 2606 mi
Distance traveled by Scout 1074.33 mi    Velocity 0.9 mi hr

CURRENT STATUS: N 43° 7’ 43.32”  W 55° 32’ 14.86”  Compass 284° Waypoint 100° CoG 199°

19 SEPTEMBER 2013 STATS

Time Elapsed: 26 DAYS: 01 HOURS: 15 MINUTES: 33 SECONDS
Distance from Rhode Island 832.84 mi    Distance to Spain 2583 mi
Distance traveled by Scout 1107.02 mi    Velocity 0.2 mi hr

CURRENT STATUS: N 42° 57’ 13.35” W 55° 2’ 37.17”  Compass 288° Waypoint 100° CoG 259°

20 SEPTEMBER 2013 STATS

Time Elapsed: 27 DAYS:  01 HOURS: 08 MINUTES: 06 SECONDS
Distance from Rhode Island 831.52 MI    Distance to Spain 2586 MI 

Distance traveled by Scout 1123.41        Velocity 1.3  MI HR

CURRENT STATUS: N 42° 43’ 5.41”  W 55° 3’ 48.82”  Compass 240° Waypoint 100° CoG 187° 

Click on the image above to follow progress live

21 SEPTEMBER 2013 STATS

Time Elapsed: 28 DAYS: 02 HOURS: 02 MINUTES: 34 SECONDS
Distance from Rhode Island 833.89 MI   Distance to Spain 2586 MI 

Distance traveled by Scout 1153.26       Velocity 0.6  MI HR

CURRENT STATUS: N 42° 32’ 8.77”  W 55° 1’ 0.15” Compass 315° Waypoint 99° CoG 238° 

Velocity 0.6  MI HR

22 SEPTEMBER 2013 STATS

Time Elapsed: 29 DAYS:  03 HOURS:  51 MINUTES:  20 SECONDS 

Distance from Rhode Island 854.18 MI    Distance to Spain 2564 MI 

Distance traveled by Scout 1184.3          Velocity 1.1  MI HR

CURRENT STATUS: N 42° 42’ 8.86” W 54° 37’ 3.47” Compass 68° Waypoint 100° CoG 44°

23 SEPTEMBER 2013 STATS

Time Elapsed: 30 DAYS:  14 HOURS:  26 MINUTES:  34 SECONDS
Distance from Rhode Island 897.35      MI Distance to Spain 2518 MI 

Distance traveled by Scout 1234.83     Velocity 3.3 MI HR 

CURRENT STATUS: N 43° 5’ 3.13”  W 53° 46’ 20.35” Compass 15° Waypoint 101° CoG 32°

TELEMETRY - Telemetry information is relayed via Iridium 9612 every hour, which generated the screen shots via Google Maps. Scout uses two Arduino micro computers; one to navigate and one to communicate via an Iridium transceiver.

IRIDIUM QUAKE & BLUETRACKER SYSTEMS

QUAKE Q9612 MODEM Tech Specs

RS-232 Interface
9-18 Volt
Transmit Power: 2W
Power Consumption Transmit: 400-650 mA (nominal); Receive/idle: 50 mA

Length: 4.3 in. (109 mm)
Width: 2.5 in. (64 mm)
Height: 0.75 in. (19 mm)
Weight: 0.35 lb (159 g)
Operating temperature range: -35°C to + 70°C
Storage temperature range: -40°C to + 80°C

BLUETRACKER

Fleet Tracking & Monitoring (FTM) is an essential part of any sea operation. It provides not only business efficiency, but also greatly contributes to safety and security of any single vessel or the entire fleet.

BlueTraker® FTM enables web access and the ability to set alarms or warnings, guarantee the peace of mind and total security all around the globe.

BlueTraker® mobile terminals are wireless gateways with embedded Satellite, GSM/GPRS modems and GPS receiver. All antennas are also included in the same robust, double shell, weatherproof, outdoor mountable housing - there is no need to connect additional external components for tracking and monitoring. This level of integration, combined with open detect seals, prevents theft or misapplication to which “cable rich” modular devices are vulnerable. A variety of BlueTraker® terminals offer various data transfer possibilities:

• BlueTraker® 2200 - Hybrid
(Iridium Satellite and GSM/GPRS)
• BlueTraker® 2100 - Iridium Satellite
• BlueTraker® 2000 - GSM/GPRS

IRIDIUM OPENPORT BROADBAND

For email, web browsing, social media, crew calls home to family and friends, or a back-up to your VSAT system the Iridium OpenPort broadband service gives you big ship communications capability on a small ship’s budget.

Low-Cost Airtime: The Iridium OpenPort broadband service can substantially reduce your satellite communications costs compared to mini-M, Fleet or even FleetBroadband, while providing better reliability and throughput.

Flexible Voice and Data Plans: The Iridium OpenPort broadband service offers a wide range of customizable voice and data plans allowing you to choose what best suits your needs and your budget—if you don’t use a service, you don’t pay for it.

High Reliability and Availability: The unique Iridium constellation of 66 cross-linked Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites provides inherent advantages over GEO satellite constellations, delivering robust, low latency communications. And because the Iridium OpenPort broadband service operates in the L-band spectrum, it is nearly impervious to inclement weather. Many customers with mission-critical communications requirements rely on the Iridium OpenPort Service to back-up to VSAT, or other communications on their vessel.

Global Coverage and Connectivity: The Iridium OpenPort broadband service is powered by the world’s largest and only truly global commercial communication network, providing pole-to-pole coverage for ships at sea. For ships traveling in the A4 region, Iridium OpenPort broadband service is the only broadband option available.

Be sure to visit the official Scout website at www.GoTransat.com

LINKS

http://www.bluetraker.com/solutions/fuel-monitoring/

https://twitter.com/ScoutTRANSAT

https://www.facebook.com/ScoutTransatlantic

http://www.wpri.com/on-air/green-team/ri-students-design-solar-powered-boat

http://www.solarracing.org/2013/06/10/autonomous-solar-powered-boat-to-cross-the-atlantic/

http://letsmakerobots.com/node/38270

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/601285608/scout-the-autonomous-transatlantic-boat

http://www.kickstarter.com/help/school#defining_your_project

http://www.kickstarter.com/start?ref=footer

http://www.gotransat.com/

http://www.gotransat.com/tracking/

http://makezine.com/magazine/transatlantic-drone-takes-to-the-sea/

http://www.behance.net/gallery/SCOUT-Transatlantic/10153015
www.marinetraffic.com - busy shipping lanes
UK Winds , Sailflow Winds , Met Office Rain & Wind

World Sea conditions, Temperatures & Sunshine
windfinder.com or magicseaweed.com for expected wave heights

http://www.python.org/

Scout on Facebook

http://www.yellowbrick-tracking.com/

http://fishpi.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_Proof-Of-Concept_Vehicle

http://fishpi.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_Prototype

http://fishpi.org/wiki/index.php?title=Hull_Design

http://www.raspberrypi.org/

http://international.findmespot.com/

http://www.amsat.org/

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