The FMRI programme funds a limited set of capability building projects that are intended to strengthen the business case and Infrastructure Fund bid, and set the programme up for future success. Any funding opportunities will be published on the UKRI website.

Funded Projects

  • Wispa

    • Prof. Mark Inall
    • Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS)
    • £0.70m, 2-years
    • This project is demonstrating the ability to use shore-launched autonomy for data harvesting from underwater sensor networks. The gathering of seabed pressure measurements along the UK ocean boundary demonstrates the potential of autonomy to provide a lower-cost, low-emission alternative for recovering data from remote sensors.

  • Autonomous Environmental Surveying for Ocean Prediction

    • Prof. Mark Inall
    • Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS)
    • £0.27m, 1-year
    • By providing continuous data to both the British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC) and the UK Met Office, this project is proving the ability to make science data accessible to non-science users. It is fostering relationships that support the alignment of science capability and policy-led environmental monitoring to maximise the impact of the future research infrastructure.

  • SixSense: Miniature and Multiparameter Sensor for Autonomy

    • Andrew Morris
    • National Oceanography Centre (NOC)
    • £0.39m, 2.5-year
    • This project is increasing the capability of the National Marine Equipment Pool by advancing the TRL of a miniature, multiparameter sensor that is able to replace multiple larger, more power-hungry sensors currently used with NMEP vehicles. This project contributes to proving the ability to rapidly translate relatively mature sensors into deployable autonomous research capabilities.

 

The development of instrumentation technology has the potential to translate into improved UK economic performance alongside informing policy that promotes the health and security of our coastal communities and overseas territories.

Measurement Systems for 21st Century Oceanography Report

 

Completed Projects

  • Uncrewed Surface Vessel Regulation and Certification

    • James Burris
    • National Oceanography Centre (NOC)
    • £0.08m, 6-months
    • The regulatory environment for Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs) is immature and this limits their ability to be deployed in support of science. By seeking to achieve MGN 644 certification of the British Antarctic Survey’s Sailbuoy and Drix platforms, this project will develop and consolidate the expertise required for efficient certification of future platforms and will expose the challenges that may be encountered.

  •  BIO-Carbon NZOC Demonstrator Mission

    • Dr. Adrian Martin
    • National Oceanography Centre (NOC)
    • £1.00m, 2-years
    • This project is augmenting NERC’s BIO-Carbon investment, enhancing funded science by enabling an additional autonomous demonstrator mission. This mission will showcase the potential of autonomy as an alternative to traditional, ship-based expeditions for addressing certain science questions.
    • Learn More →