Azores Deep-sea Research — Azor Drift Cam

Deep-sea exploration is
challenging and expensive

The deep seafloor is vast and little explored. Defined as those waters below 200 m depth, is the largest biome on Earth, covering 66% of the planet's surface

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Deep-sea exploration relies on cutting-edge technologies and large research vessels

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Few research groups and countries have the technical and financial means to explore the deep sea

Need to democratize
deep-sea exploration

The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development recognizes the need to reduce inequality in ocean research capacity

Current commitments to protect marine biodiversity (UN 2030, EU 2030) require large-scale scientific data on the distribution and conservation status of deep-sea benthic species and habitats

A fundamental paradigm shift in the way deep-sea scientific data is collected is needed to make the deep-sea accessible to all

Azor drift-cam

A cost-effective tool to democratize deep-sea exploration

A drifting video platform that enables rapid assessments of deep-sea benthic habitats

Simple to assemble, easy to operate, and reliable instrument for visual exploration of the deep sea down to 1,000 m depth

Built with commercially available components, it is deployable from small platforms, including local fishing vessels

Specifications

Drifting system

1,000 m max. depth

Live-view feed to vessel

Up to 4K video recording

LED Lights
(concentric & diffuse)

Sensors
(temperature & depth)

Lasers
for image scaling

Development guidelines

Portable

Easily moved between sampling areas or regions
Effective

Suitable for a rapid appraisal of deep-sea benthic habitats
Affordable

Total price to be kept low (10–15k €), including the necessary spare parts
Simple

Its components should be off-the-shelf, light and easy to assemble
User-friendly

Operation and maintenance not requiring highly specialized staff
Resilient

Operational in most deep sea areas, complex topographies and heavily fished grounds
Operable

Deployable from small platforms, including local fishing vessels

The development followed a set of guiding principles that determined the characteristics of the tool and the choices adopted

Components

The Azor drift-cam is made of a stainless-steel structure to which all electronic components are attached, including the cameras, the lights, the sensors, the lasers and the deep-sea housings containing the live video system and the external batteries

Click on component's "⦿" on the right to learn more