AYIA NAPA, Cyprus (AP) — A first-of-its-kind project will use a swarm of small, independent submersibles to monitor, protect and provide data on offshore artificial reefs whose purpose is to attract new marine life in otherwise barren sections of sea, officials said Monday. The small, autonomous underwater vehicles, or AUVs, hailed as the “future of […]
A project in Cyprus uses a swarm of small, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to monitor and protect artificial reefs designed to attract marine life. These reefs, made of environmentally friendly cement, are equipped with docking stations for the AUVs, which can operate for up to a month and provide continuous data on the reefs' effectiveness. The project, named EONIOS, aims to restore marine biodiversity in barren areas and is currently in trial off Ayia Napa. The system, which uses undersea currents to extend battery life, is cost-effective and could be marketed to other countries to boost fish stocks.
