The Great Barrier Reef is vast. When it comes to restoring coral reefs at scale, our scientists and engineers are developing marine robotics and AI models to assist in the task.
Introducing the Deployment Guidance System (DGS). This system, which can be mounted to a variety of vessels, helps us decide where to deploy young corals on the Reef.
The DGS is several technologies in one, allowing it to do many things:
✅ site selection on the seafloor
✅ real-time AI analysis
✅ vessel guidance
✅ automated deployment of coral seeding devices
✅ geotagging for monitoring
Its insights can be used immediately on the water, or considered later back on land. Trials are ongoing, with different vessels on different parts of the Reef. The aim is to deliver reef restoration capabilities at a scale which was not possible before.
Contributors to this project include Ben Moshirian, Jakub Jez, Nader Boutros, Rebecca Forster (from AIMS) and Scarlett Raine (from QUT). Autonomy equipment provided by Platypus Australia. Boat captained in the video by Chris Bartlett.
📽️ Jakub Jez & Chris Bartlett, drone footage by Patrick McCosker (from Riverside Marine)
