NOAA and Partners Deploy Mini Ocean Robots to Collect Hurricane Data
Wed, 09/03/2025 - 01:05pm | By: NOAA Research Staff
Four Oshen C-Stars departing St. Thomas on the back of a deployment vessel for future observations of Atlantic hurricanes. Credit: Oshen
NOAA, in partnership with The University of 麻豆传媒色情片 and with the robotics company , launched five small uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) called C-Stars in the waters off the U.S. Virgin Islands on August 31 to collect critical data to better understand hurricane development and activity. The deployment is the latest effort by NOAA to advance data collection to improve hurricane research and forecasting.
Two additional C-Stars will be stored in Gulfport, Mississippi, and will be ready for launch ahead of actively developing storms in the Gulf this fall.
鈥淯nderstanding weather conditions where the ocean surface meets the lower atmosphere is key to predicting hurricane intensity,鈥� said Greg Foltz, oceanographer for (AOML). 鈥淚f these miniature uncrewed surface vehicles prove reliable, they could become a critical piece of NOAA鈥檚 hurricane observing system in the future.鈥�
NOAA has been expanding the use of uncrewed aircraft and marine systems to collect and use high-accuracy and time-sensitive data across its mission. These systems are a force multiplier for NOAA-supplementing NOAA鈥檚 traditional methods of data collection often at lower cost, increased safety and reduced risk, especially in remote or extreme environments. A diverse array of uncrewed systems are already used in seabed mapping, marine mammal and fishery stock assessments, emergency response, including tornado damage assessments, and at-sea observations that improve forecasting of extreme events, such as hurricanes, harmful algal blooms and hypoxia.
This map shows the planned operating locations of the C-Stars, represented by pink circles, during their deployment in 2025. The background colors show the probability of each location experiencing tropical storm-force winds during August to October. Credit: NOAA Atlantic Oceanic and Meteorological Laboratory
How the C-Star works
The C-Star was developed by U.K-based company Oshen, which builds constellations of hand-deployable robots for ocean data collection. C-Stars operate individually or in fleets to provide coverage over wide ocean areas. Wind-propelled with solar-powered sensors, C-Stars transmit real-time data on wind speed and direction, sea surface temperature, air temperature, air pressure and relative humidity via satellite for forecasters and scientists. C-Stars are also equipped with electric motor thrusters to improve positioning to intercept a hurricane or when winds are weak. Wave condition data, high-resolution images and movies will be available once the C-Stars are recovered.
Oshen mission specialists in the UK will remotely pilot the four-foot-long fiberglass USVs, which look like small sailboats, working with NOAA scientists at AOML in Miami and (PMEL) in Seattle to position them ahead of hurricanes. They will operate experimentally over the next two months, transmitting near-real-time data which will be automatically received, processed and distributed by PMEL to the World Meteorological Organization鈥檚 Global Telecommunications System, making it available to forecast centers globally.
An Oshen C-Star performs its final tests near shore before being deployed. Credit: Oshen
Advantages of C-Stars
The C-Stars are small-measuring a sixth of the size of USVs used in recent years-making them easier to transport and launch. The Oshen team was able to use charter and fishing boats to deploy the C-stars off the coast of St. Thomas on Sunday.
鈥淲e are excited by the role that C-Stars could play in improving hurricane forecasts, which have direct consequences for millions of people along the Gulf Coast,鈥� said Leila Hamdan, associate vice president for research, The University of 麻豆传媒色情片, and professor in the School of Ocean Science and Engineering. 鈥淭he University of Southern Mississippi is a natural partner for this effort as we bring deep expertise in autonomous systems and a history of collaboration with Oshen and NOAA. We鈥檙e excited to test new ways to gather critical data for NOAA鈥檚 mission.
St. Thomas deployment. Credit: Oshen
Hurricanes are a new challenge for the mini-USVs
C-Stars have been used in the U.S. and Europe for a wide range of missions, from collecting ocean weather and temperature data to monitoring marine mammals.
鈥淎lthough C-Stars have navigated storms with towering 24-foot waves, hurricanes are a whole new level of challenge-but if it works, the long-term potential is huge,鈥� said Anahita Laverack, the chief executive officer for Oshen. 鈥淲e believe that these new, small USVs can move the needle in how we observe and understand hurricanes.鈥�