THE PROTEUS
Extreme Endurance Rapid Response System
Overview
Our oceans are in serious trouble and we need to act now before it is too late. Rampant illegal fishing, driven on by a rapid population global growth, amplified by pollution and climate change, is threatening to destroy not only already tenuous food-stocks but even whole marine ecosystems and with it the food chain of human cultures that rely on them. This is a crisis, make no mistake about it. The question is what can we do about it ? The Proteus is a robust tool that offers solutions.
Who are we ?
X-craft is an Innovation Award winning New Zealand company with over a decade of design, build and operation of robotic craft. We are known as "the problem solvers" . We use a combination of advanced tech tools and practical hands on experience to achieve solutions for the most challenging environments.
Illegal fishing is like a giant silent cancer to our planet and human survival on it. So far it has proven to be one of the most difficult man-made problems to solve ... so we are going to do just that !
What are we doing ?
We are starting a campaign to both involve a wider group of people, to gather public support, and to raise funding to enable our prototype, an extreme unmanned boat called Proteus, to be fitted out with the best technology available and be launched on its mission to prove that this tool will provide the solution we desperately need.
On this craft all of the systems will be tested and refined as a multi-role tool for Pacific operations. It is the first of a future fleet of extreme endurance unmanned ocean dwelling sentinels, protecting the planet, the oceans and the survival of those who rely on it.
As well as protect against illegal fishing they will collect unprecedented levels of much needed scientific data on our rapidly changing planet. They will also respond to emergency situations, such as boats in distress, and disaster relief operations in remote islands.
The Proteus features an all-electric power management and drive system. Built to protect the ocean not pollute. Solar panels and a small vertical wind turbine will provide eco-friendly power to the whole craft. An array of high end technology, including radar, sonar, Infra-red, high definition optical cameras and intelligent software will combine as the primary data collection tools. The boat also has its own drones which provide an "eye in the sky" capability, whether for documenting an illegal fishing vessel, assisting a Search and Rescue operation or gathering information in a post disaster humanitarian relief mission.
What have we already done ?
We have designed and built multiple 1/3 scale Proteus craft and tested them (you can see some of these in the video above) and they have demonstrated impressive performance. We have already invested our own money into building the hulls of the first full scale Proteus prototype craft but still need to fit this out with all of the sensors and electronics. We want this to be the best equipment we can get so that the Proteus is given the greatest opportunity to perform at its optimal capability. This is where we need your help.
How can I be involved ?
Government initiatives are often complex and too slow for this urgent, rapidly evolving crisis. We need your involvement to help finance a tool that can be deployed now. You can do three things to make this happen - Sponsor us, Spread the word and Stay tuned. We want you involved from the first launch to the creation of a whole fleet that will achieve unprecedented results for the planet and we humans on it.
Sponsor us: Money ... the more we have the more we can do and the faster we can do it. We have established an Indigogo campaign to ensure your investment is secured, protected and goes where it is intended. Please look at the sponsorship program details and see how we can reciprocate your generosity. Every dollar counts and we have a variety of ways to make sure you know how much we appreciate that. This will be posted soon and we will post a link here
Spread the word: We see this initiative as providing a "people's tool" and we want as many people involved as we can. We need the world to know what we are doing and gather more support. Please tell people you know ...you would be amazed at the power of telling just a few ... as those few will become the many. Reach out to your friends around the planet and make them all our partners.
Stay tuned: This is just the beginning. As things progress we see increasing opportunity for people to become directly involved. Citizen Science opportunities will grow. This can mean doing a range of things from monitoring the boats' activities to reviewing the information being streamed from them. Ultimately we hope that people will align themselves with specific vessels in the fleet and be involved in all the adventures it encounters. Get in on the project early and let your involvement grow with it. You might be a virtual crew member or even, with enough experience, a virtual captain on one of the ships in the fleet. Do you want to do something important for the planet ? Here is your opening to do it !
Let's make it happen !
Will it be easy ? No ... but we have already built the boat so all we need to do now is to fit it out with the most advanced sensors we can get and launch it off for its first sea trials !
Can we do it ? Yes ... we have over a decade of experience in the technology of autonomous craft, we know what we need and how to get it... but we need your support to make it happen. Your involvement will have global consequences.
FAQ
Why boats - what about long range aircraft ?
The oceans are vast places and covering these areas constantly and on a pervasive basis is very difficult. Even the militaries of the world, with all their powerful resources, have struggled with the sheer physical scale of ocean protection. Perhaps the best demonstration of this is that despite all of the air power that large militaries have, they still have Navies.
Our solution is that we need a large number of small, highly agile robotic craft as a constant presence, guarding areas day and night, on call to respond to detection of vessels on the ocean. These need to be small enough to be relatively low cost and easy to maintain but large enough to carry out the functions required.
We have learnt over the last decade, from our field operations, that the greatest impact with fastest results is to utilise multiple layers of robotic tools. Each system has it's strengths and if we use these together we will get rapid results. We will be using all the tools in the toolkit, including low earth orbit satellites, long range aircraft and extreme endurance rapid response sea craft in close collaboration.
Isn't there a cheaper way to do this ?
Satellites can take images but currently this costs around $5000 a photo and only indicates there is something on the ocean, not what it is nor what it is doing. Even if new low Earth orbit satellites make imaging cheaper they can only look from above and therefore identification of any fishing vessel needs another tool to do this. Additionally, if it is a Search and Rescue operation or post disaster relief, satellites can observe but not actively intervene. They are a useful tool for gathering some information but their activity stops above the clouds.
Long range unmanned aircraft are not cheap and in many cases more expensive than small sea craft. HALE (High Altitude Long Endurance) aircraft can obtain images of large areas but need satellite type sensors and are extremely expensive. Sub-cloud aircraft are ideal for obtaining obtuse photos for Identifying fishing vessels but the ocean is huge so finding a target in the first place is difficult, almost impossible, without another tool to assist. Getting a target from satellites can help but, as a satellite cannot identify a target in the first place, it may be sending the aircraft hundreds of kilometres to check out, what turns out to be, a cruise yacht, pod of whales or just debris. Even with this capability there is no pervasive presence to deter illegal fishing. In disaster scenarios a UAV has an excellent role of information gathering and emergency supply delivery but at sea there is little substitute for an on-call rapid response boat that can both deliver a life raft and act as a life boat itself.
A sea craft is like a Swiss army knife of capabilities in the marine environment. The Proteus is designed for extreme endurance, able to position itself at specific places to guard along an economic zone, at environmental hotspot or along a ferry route. It can identify boats, communicate to focus other resources such as satellites or long range UAV onto a target, pursue a target itself and obtain photographic and locational evidence to present in court. During its long mission it can be constantly collecting scientific data to assist the planing for climate change and always on duty for Search & Rescue and Emergency Relief operations. As far as investment goes, we see this as a hugely diverse tool, that integrates seamlessly with and adds value to other tools, and well worth investment.
How do you control boats from such huge distances ?
The main route for this is via satellite but this can be expensive for large amounts of data so we do have alternatives, at least until the new low earth orbit satellites bring prices down and capability up. It is important to note that the Proteus craft are highly autonomous and have their own capability to process the data they accumulate. They can identify objects and recognise what they are. We can operate the boats from a command centre anywhere in the world. Check our website for details.
What sort of information is collected by the Proteus ?
Proteus boats will can carry a wide range of sensor technology. Although the craft have a core of sensors for scientific data collection, additional modular sensor payloads can be swapped out for unique mission requirements such as specific scientific surveys. It is important to note that they also have advanced intelligent software which can autonomously enable appropriate response action from the vessel without the need of human command.
What happens to the information collected by the Proteus ?
We will work directly with existing organisations that are focused on all of the four target activities including Fisheries Protection, Scientific Research, Disaster Relief and Emergency Response.
Why don't governments pay for this ?
The answer to this is more complex than it may initially appear. The Pacific Ocean has many small nations that are rich in resources but poor in economic clout. Many simply do not have enough funds to go beyond the basic care of their people. There are conflicting demands on their budgets and a focus on immediate survival with little left to resource the big picture, long term strategy.
Are there any organisations already willing to partner with the Proteus ?
Yes, NIWA has already entered a contract with X-craft to trial the initial Proteus craft for fishing surveys in New Zealand. You could say we are already swimming before hitting the water ! There has also been substantial interest from FFA, SPC and other Pacific organisations about the potential of the Proteus craft. What we need to do is prove how well it works.
What is the plan for initial deployment ?
Initial blue water sea trials will begin around the New Zealand coast in early 2020. During this period organisations from the Pacific region will be invited to New Zealand to evaluate the system themselves. Following this we plan to ship the initial Proteus craft further north in the Pacific to begin sea trials around an undisclosed location.
What is the plan for future deployment ?
We see the initial craft as only the first, yet essential step towards a fleet of craft that can cover vast areas of ocean, patrol against illegal fishing and gather unprecedented scientific data. So, after proving capability we will move on to phase 2 which is the manufacture of a fleet of Proteus craft. Decisions on strategic deployment will be made in conjunction with all partner organisations to maximise the efficacy.
Extreme Endurance Rapid Response System
Overview
Our oceans are in serious trouble and we need to act now before it is too late. Rampant illegal fishing, driven on by a rapid population global growth, amplified by pollution and climate change, is threatening to destroy not only already tenuous food-stocks but even whole marine ecosystems and with it the food chain of human cultures that rely on them. This is a crisis, make no mistake about it. The question is what can we do about it ? The Proteus is a robust tool that offers solutions.
Who are we ?
X-craft is an Innovation Award winning New Zealand company with over a decade of design, build and operation of robotic craft. We are known as "the problem solvers" . We use a combination of advanced tech tools and practical hands on experience to achieve solutions for the most challenging environments.
Illegal fishing is like a giant silent cancer to our planet and human survival on it. So far it has proven to be one of the most difficult man-made problems to solve ... so we are going to do just that !
What are we doing ?
We are starting a campaign to both involve a wider group of people, to gather public support, and to raise funding to enable our prototype, an extreme unmanned boat called Proteus, to be fitted out with the best technology available and be launched on its mission to prove that this tool will provide the solution we desperately need.
On this craft all of the systems will be tested and refined as a multi-role tool for Pacific operations. It is the first of a future fleet of extreme endurance unmanned ocean dwelling sentinels, protecting the planet, the oceans and the survival of those who rely on it.
As well as protect against illegal fishing they will collect unprecedented levels of much needed scientific data on our rapidly changing planet. They will also respond to emergency situations, such as boats in distress, and disaster relief operations in remote islands.
The Proteus features an all-electric power management and drive system. Built to protect the ocean not pollute. Solar panels and a small vertical wind turbine will provide eco-friendly power to the whole craft. An array of high end technology, including radar, sonar, Infra-red, high definition optical cameras and intelligent software will combine as the primary data collection tools. The boat also has its own drones which provide an "eye in the sky" capability, whether for documenting an illegal fishing vessel, assisting a Search and Rescue operation or gathering information in a post disaster humanitarian relief mission.
What have we already done ?
We have designed and built multiple 1/3 scale Proteus craft and tested them (you can see some of these in the video above) and they have demonstrated impressive performance. We have already invested our own money into building the hulls of the first full scale Proteus prototype craft but still need to fit this out with all of the sensors and electronics. We want this to be the best equipment we can get so that the Proteus is given the greatest opportunity to perform at its optimal capability. This is where we need your help.
How can I be involved ?
Government initiatives are often complex and too slow for this urgent, rapidly evolving crisis. We need your involvement to help finance a tool that can be deployed now. You can do three things to make this happen - Sponsor us, Spread the word and Stay tuned. We want you involved from the first launch to the creation of a whole fleet that will achieve unprecedented results for the planet and we humans on it.
Sponsor us: Money ... the more we have the more we can do and the faster we can do it. We have established an Indigogo campaign to ensure your investment is secured, protected and goes where it is intended. Please look at the sponsorship program details and see how we can reciprocate your generosity. Every dollar counts and we have a variety of ways to make sure you know how much we appreciate that. This will be posted soon and we will post a link here
Spread the word: We see this initiative as providing a "people's tool" and we want as many people involved as we can. We need the world to know what we are doing and gather more support. Please tell people you know ...you would be amazed at the power of telling just a few ... as those few will become the many. Reach out to your friends around the planet and make them all our partners.
Stay tuned: This is just the beginning. As things progress we see increasing opportunity for people to become directly involved. Citizen Science opportunities will grow. This can mean doing a range of things from monitoring the boats' activities to reviewing the information being streamed from them. Ultimately we hope that people will align themselves with specific vessels in the fleet and be involved in all the adventures it encounters. Get in on the project early and let your involvement grow with it. You might be a virtual crew member or even, with enough experience, a virtual captain on one of the ships in the fleet. Do you want to do something important for the planet ? Here is your opening to do it !
Let's make it happen !
Will it be easy ? No ... but we have already built the boat so all we need to do now is to fit it out with the most advanced sensors we can get and launch it off for its first sea trials !
Can we do it ? Yes ... we have over a decade of experience in the technology of autonomous craft, we know what we need and how to get it... but we need your support to make it happen. Your involvement will have global consequences.
FAQ
Why boats - what about long range aircraft ?
The oceans are vast places and covering these areas constantly and on a pervasive basis is very difficult. Even the militaries of the world, with all their powerful resources, have struggled with the sheer physical scale of ocean protection. Perhaps the best demonstration of this is that despite all of the air power that large militaries have, they still have Navies.
Our solution is that we need a large number of small, highly agile robotic craft as a constant presence, guarding areas day and night, on call to respond to detection of vessels on the ocean. These need to be small enough to be relatively low cost and easy to maintain but large enough to carry out the functions required.
We have learnt over the last decade, from our field operations, that the greatest impact with fastest results is to utilise multiple layers of robotic tools. Each system has it's strengths and if we use these together we will get rapid results. We will be using all the tools in the toolkit, including low earth orbit satellites, long range aircraft and extreme endurance rapid response sea craft in close collaboration.
Isn't there a cheaper way to do this ?
Satellites can take images but currently this costs around $5000 a photo and only indicates there is something on the ocean, not what it is nor what it is doing. Even if new low Earth orbit satellites make imaging cheaper they can only look from above and therefore identification of any fishing vessel needs another tool to do this. Additionally, if it is a Search and Rescue operation or post disaster relief, satellites can observe but not actively intervene. They are a useful tool for gathering some information but their activity stops above the clouds.
Long range unmanned aircraft are not cheap and in many cases more expensive than small sea craft. HALE (High Altitude Long Endurance) aircraft can obtain images of large areas but need satellite type sensors and are extremely expensive. Sub-cloud aircraft are ideal for obtaining obtuse photos for Identifying fishing vessels but the ocean is huge so finding a target in the first place is difficult, almost impossible, without another tool to assist. Getting a target from satellites can help but, as a satellite cannot identify a target in the first place, it may be sending the aircraft hundreds of kilometres to check out, what turns out to be, a cruise yacht, pod of whales or just debris. Even with this capability there is no pervasive presence to deter illegal fishing. In disaster scenarios a UAV has an excellent role of information gathering and emergency supply delivery but at sea there is little substitute for an on-call rapid response boat that can both deliver a life raft and act as a life boat itself.
A sea craft is like a Swiss army knife of capabilities in the marine environment. The Proteus is designed for extreme endurance, able to position itself at specific places to guard along an economic zone, at environmental hotspot or along a ferry route. It can identify boats, communicate to focus other resources such as satellites or long range UAV onto a target, pursue a target itself and obtain photographic and locational evidence to present in court. During its long mission it can be constantly collecting scientific data to assist the planing for climate change and always on duty for Search & Rescue and Emergency Relief operations. As far as investment goes, we see this as a hugely diverse tool, that integrates seamlessly with and adds value to other tools, and well worth investment.
How do you control boats from such huge distances ?
The main route for this is via satellite but this can be expensive for large amounts of data so we do have alternatives, at least until the new low earth orbit satellites bring prices down and capability up. It is important to note that the Proteus craft are highly autonomous and have their own capability to process the data they accumulate. They can identify objects and recognise what they are. We can operate the boats from a command centre anywhere in the world. Check our website for details.
What sort of information is collected by the Proteus ?
Proteus boats will can carry a wide range of sensor technology. Although the craft have a core of sensors for scientific data collection, additional modular sensor payloads can be swapped out for unique mission requirements such as specific scientific surveys. It is important to note that they also have advanced intelligent software which can autonomously enable appropriate response action from the vessel without the need of human command.
What happens to the information collected by the Proteus ?
We will work directly with existing organisations that are focused on all of the four target activities including Fisheries Protection, Scientific Research, Disaster Relief and Emergency Response.
Why don't governments pay for this ?
The answer to this is more complex than it may initially appear. The Pacific Ocean has many small nations that are rich in resources but poor in economic clout. Many simply do not have enough funds to go beyond the basic care of their people. There are conflicting demands on their budgets and a focus on immediate survival with little left to resource the big picture, long term strategy.
Are there any organisations already willing to partner with the Proteus ?
Yes, NIWA has already entered a contract with X-craft to trial the initial Proteus craft for fishing surveys in New Zealand. You could say we are already swimming before hitting the water ! There has also been substantial interest from FFA, SPC and other Pacific organisations about the potential of the Proteus craft. What we need to do is prove how well it works.
What is the plan for initial deployment ?
Initial blue water sea trials will begin around the New Zealand coast in early 2020. During this period organisations from the Pacific region will be invited to New Zealand to evaluate the system themselves. Following this we plan to ship the initial Proteus craft further north in the Pacific to begin sea trials around an undisclosed location.
What is the plan for future deployment ?
We see the initial craft as only the first, yet essential step towards a fleet of craft that can cover vast areas of ocean, patrol against illegal fishing and gather unprecedented scientific data. So, after proving capability we will move on to phase 2 which is the manufacture of a fleet of Proteus craft. Decisions on strategic deployment will be made in conjunction with all partner organisations to maximise the efficacy.