Autonomous Marine Systems

Autonomous Marine Systems (AMS), established in 2008, operates as a marine data services company, providing low-cost, persistent ocean surveillance through its proprietary robotic sailboat, the Datamaran. The company originated when founders Eamon Carrig and TJ Edwards, leveraging their extensive backgrounds in spacecraft development, identified a market need for robust, long-duration sensing capabilities in marine environments. They conceptualized a "satellite for the seas," an idea that was launched with the help of a 2013 Kickstarter campaign. In July 2024, JASCO Applied Sciences acquired AMS, integrating the Datamaran technology into its portfolio.

AMS's business model centers on providing data-as-a-service to a diverse client base that includes the defense, offshore energy (particularly wind), and marine research sectors. The company generates revenue through development contracts and projects such as environmental surveys, hydrographic mapping, and subsea data gateway services. By deploying fleets of Datamarans, AMS creates an intelligent, water-borne sensor network that offers a cost-effective and safer alternative to traditional crewed vessels for data collection in harsh marine conditions.

The core of AMS's offering is the Datamaran, an autonomous, twin-hulled sailing vessel powered by wind and solar energy. This design allows for long-endurance missions over vast distances with minimal logistical overhead. A key feature is its patented self-righting capability, which enhances survivability by allowing the vessel to recover from capsizing in severe weather and resume its mission. The platform is equipped with a standard suite of sensors to collect data on vessel position, wind velocity, wave characteristics, air and water temperature, and barometric pressure, which is transmitted to shore in near real-time via cellular or Iridium satellite communications. The Datamaran is highly customizable with optional payloads including magnetometers, hydrophone arrays for acoustic monitoring, and systems for measuring water current and conductivity profiles, making it a versatile tool for a wide range of marine survey applications.

Keywords: autonomous marine vessels, ocean data services, unmanned surface vehicles, marine robotics, ocean surveillance, hydrographic survey, environmental monitoring, offshore wind energy, marine technology, Datamaran, USV, autonomous sailboat, subsea data, passive acoustic monitoring, metocean data, coastal monitoring, remote sensing, maritime safety, uncrewed systems, ocean observation