Hydromea carried out a series of successful measurement campaigns deploying a Vertex AUV in several Swiss lakes during the summer and fall of 2017. These campaigns were part of a research collaboration between Hydromea and the Ecole Polytechnique Lausanne, Switzerland (EPFL).
During a series of deployments in Lago Cadagno (Ticino) the Vertex mapped a thin bacterial layer, a phenomenon only known to occur in a handful of other lakes around the world. The Vertex used its built-in sensor payload to detect the bacterial layer and automatically adapted its depth to stay within it. While moving through the layer the Vertex recorded 8 different parameters using a fully equipped EXO2 sonde from YSI. In addition, the Mini FT07, a fast (100 Hz), high-resolution (10 micro degree Celsius) temperature sensor, custom developed by Hydromea, provided information on the micro-turbulences caused by the bacteria.
After having sold 2 Vertex AUVs to EPFL, another 5 vehicles are currently built and will be delivered to EPFL in Q2/2018. These vehicles will become part of the 2018 measurement campaign which will map large-scale phenomena in lake Geneva using multiple Vertex AUVs.