AUV Barabas
The VLIZ's autonomous underwater robot (AUV) is a Teledyne Gavia, operational to depths of 1,000 meters. The AUV can be used for both national and international research. The robot can be deployed either from a dock, a small RIB or a large research vessel.
Core Repository
A core repository is a cold room for storing drill cores. The VLIZ has a core repository (dimensions 12 x 6 x 3m) in the Ostend Marine Station (MSO) with a capacity of about 600 D-tubes of 9 cm width.
GAPS - Underwater acoustic positioning system
The underwater acoustic positioning system allows the position of objects/vehicles to be determined simultaneously underwater using acoustic transponders. In this way, the position of the ROV, AUV or scientific divers can be accurately determined. In addition, small amounts of data can be sent to the transponders attached to devices via the modem function.
Mini-ROV
The mini-Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) is an (unmanned) underwater robot that can perform visual underwater observations down to a depth of 125m. Because the mini-ROV is relatively light (6.5kg in air), it is primarily used in an environment not subject to currents. From a research vessel or quay, the mini-ROV is controlled by means of a tablet, with data tracked on the same tablet.
ROV Zonnebloem
The VLIZ Marine Robotics Centre owns the Remotely Operated Vehicle or ROV Zonnebloem which is used nationally, for research in the Belgian part of the North Sea, and internationally, mainly for deep-sea research, from research vessels.
RIB Zeekat
The Zeekat can be deployed in the Belgian part of the North Sea from the research vessel Simon Stevin. The Zeekat can also be launched independently from a slipway for sampling in beach waters, Belgian ports and the Scheldt estuary.
USV Adhemar
The unmanned surface vessel (USV) of the VLIZ is an Autonaut. This vessel is remotely piloted 24/7 and can take measurements of atmosphere and water (surface) for weeks to months. The USV can be deployed both nationally (Belgian part of the North Sea) and internationally. It can be launched from the beach, a slipway or a research vessel.
Video frame
A video frame is a steel frame with an underwater camera mounted on it. This device is brought to the bottom from a research vessel. Once on the bottom, images of the marine environment are taken by the video camera controlled from the ship. This obtains live images of what is happening on the seafloor.
Water tanks for marine organisms
The Flemish Institute for the Sea provides three seawater water tanks that are mainly used for fish research. For example, the water tanks can be used as quarantine areas when conducting fish experiments.