Heterogeneous marine robotic system for environmental monitoring missions

Environmental monitoring and protection of our oceans has become an absolute priority recognized as well by the United Nations and its UN Ocean Decade. Marine robotic systems can play a fundamental role in this field due to their lower cost and autonomous behavior when compared to research vessels. This article details the first use-case scenario defined within the INNOVAMARE project where an Autonomous Surface Vessel (ASV) and a Smart Buoy cooperate in a real and fragile environment as the Venice Lagoon. Preliminary results show the effectiveness of the equipment and methods and serve as validation for the more complex second use-case scenario.