The SWARM range

The SWARM buoy deployment solution is based on a modular, fully stand-alone system that makes maintenance and operation easy. The system contains a battery and energy recovery equipment that provide several years of self-sufficiency in power and communication. It consists of an anchor, a float and a measuring system or instrument-packed buoy body which can be removed from the float without having to make adjustments to the anchoring system (Figure 1). This modularity allows an operator with no specific nautical qualifications to carry out effective maintenance of the measurement system by means of simple nautical equipment.

The buoy is composed of a float (in yellow) and a buoy body. The instrument-packed buoy body or measuring system houses the modules responsible for the SWARM buoy’s water quality measurement, energy management and communication systems. More precisely, the buoy body consists of the following modules:

• Energy module containing a battery and an energy recovery system. This module enables the buoy to be energy self-sufficient

• Wireless communication module (GSM, GPRS, 3G or HR.net radio) for the transmission of data to a remote server

• Measurement module or buoy core with an electronic motherboard which can handle up to 6 multi-parameter sensors . It also includes electronic cards for the communication and energy modules

• Multi-parameter probes that perform water quality measurements