New robotics and acoustic monitoring for freshwater ecosystem research

Imperial researchers to transform freshwater ecosystem monitoring by combining passive acoustic monitoring with an unmanned aerial-aquatic vehicle.

To elevate freshwater monitoring, researchers from Imperial's Aerial Robotics Laboratory have combined passive acoustic monitoring with SailMAV, an autonomous vehicle that can sail and fly. This approach will allow for a more comprehensive understanding of the biodiversity in freshwater environments, reaching areas of these ecosystems that were previously inaccessible.

Freshwater ecosystems only cover 1% of the Earth's surface yet they support over 10% of all species. Biodiversity in these vital ecosystems is under threat due to pollution, habitat loss, and invasive species. Monitoring and understanding the response of freshwater ecosystems to man-made changes is crucial for effective management and conservation.

Traditional methods to observe underwater species are often invasive, expensive and time-consuming. To overcome these challenges Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM), a technique that listens to the natural environment, is utilised, making it easier to capture and analyse species in their natural habitats over larger areas and time periods.

During twelve autonomous sailing missions on Lake Vrana, Croatia, SailMAV successfully collected acoustic data, demonstrating its ability to navigate and reach predetermined locations.

The team are now looking to further improve SailMAV by reducing mechanical noise and optimising the analysis of acoustic data collected.

 This research is a collaboration between Imperial College London, UK2UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK3Biorobotics Laboratory, EPFL and Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology.

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'Use of an unmanned aerial-aquatic vehicle for acoustic sensing in freshwater ecosystems', by Jenna Lawson et al. is published in Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation.