Marine surveillance and debris scow

Abstract

A marine monitoring and debris collection scow is provided, the scow comprising: a hull which includes an open stern, a bow opposite the open stern, a deck extending between the open stern and the bow and forming a bottom on an underside, the bottom extending between the open stern and the bow; a frame, the frame which is attached to the deck, the frame including a front, a back which is opposite the front and sides extending between the front and the back; at least one flotation chamber which extends around the sides and the front of the frame and forms a gunwale; a housing mounted on the deck; and a microcontroller unit housed in the housing, the microcontroller unit configured to receive a data set from at least one sensor, to store the data set, to process the data set into a processed data set and to send the processed data set to a radio.

1 . A method of monitoring a marine environment, the method comprising: an operator deploying a scow into the marine environment, wherein the scow includes a microcontroller unit and a plurality of marine environmental sensors; the environmental sensors communicating at least one data set to the microcontroller unit; the microcontroller unit receiving the data set, storing the data set, processing the data set into a processed data set and sending the processed data set to a remote receiver, thereby monitoring the marine environment. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring is autonomous. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the microcontroller unit receiving navigation data and autonomously positioning the scow. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising the scow deploying at least one containment device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the scow contains a spill with the at least one containment device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the scow contains the spill autonomously. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising an unmanned aerial vehicle wirelessly communicating visual data to the microcontroller unit. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring is marine surveillance. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring is spill monitoring. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring is aquatic stock monitoring. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring is biodiversity monitoring. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring is marine noise monitoring.