C-PrOPS ROV – Compact-Propulsion Option for Profiling Systems
C-PrOPS™ (Compact-Propulsion Option for Profiling Systems) is a next-generation upgrade to Biospherical Instruments’ C-OPS (Compact Optical Profiling System) that adds 3-dimensional position control to the free-fall profiler using state-of-the-art digital thrusters, allowing a C-OPS profiler to be maneuvered similarly to a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), and be dynamically positioned away from a boat or shoreline and into the desired sampling location.
The accessory replaces the standard passive C-OPS freefall backplane with a thruster-equipped backplane that includes a central housing containing electronic components supporting thruster control and telemetry requirements for the sensor arrays. The system includes a ProPower Box that supports a number of new technologies, including:
Features
Thruster control telemetry
Power conditioning for the digital thrusters;
Personnel protection circuitry to avoid electrical shocks;
TRAC thruster control pad with communications display; and
C-TRAC wireless remote control thruster and data acquisition interface.
The use of thrusters helps avoid platform perturbations (e.g., ship shadow), supports profiling in situations where it is not possible to position the profiler by another means (e.g., allowing the wind to move a boat away), or adds the capability of performing profiles from a beach or nearshore structures (e.g. mangroves, dock, jetty, breakwater, etc.).
