The iSPHERE is an expendable, low cost, bi-directional spherical drifting buoy. The drifter was developed to meet the demanding needs of the offshore oil industry, ocean freight industry and the oceanographic scientific community. The buoy was designed specifically to track and monitor oil spill incidences. The iSPHERE drifter also provides the user with essential real-time sea surface temperature data and GPS positional data.

Gardline Communications is an Iridium service provider, the iSPHERE uses the latest Iridium data transfer technology.

The robust design of the iSPHERE allows the buoy to be deployed effortlessly from a vessel or an oil platform. The standard operating life of the buoy is approximately 180-365* days.

Key Features

Data Collection

• Data acquisition: 6 samples each of SST and VBAT acquired at 20 seconds interval averaged
• Transmission interval: Once every 30 minutes
• GPS position acquired at XX:30:XX and XX:60:00
• Sea Surface Temperature and Battery Voltage acquisition starts at XX:03:00 and XX:33:00

Electronics

• MetOcean’s Global Platform Transceiver Controller™
• Navman Jupiter 32 Global Positioning System module
• Iridium 9601 Short Burst Data transceiver

Data Transmission

• Bidirectional communication ability allows the end user to select on demand Iridium transmission interval according to operational requirements
• Transmissions can be set up at predetermined schedule intervals and / or poll the unit for immediate results
• Data latency is less than 60 seconds from start of transmission

Technical Specifications

* Operational life is dependent upon sensor suite, transmission interval and storage conditions.

For more information please call us on 281 679 6141