You’d have to be pretty hardcore to survive getting tossed out of a plane into the ocean without a parachute. Now add an approaching hurricane to the mix and you have an idea what it’s like being one of Sofar’s Spotter buoys.
These sensor-packed bundles of tech get front-row seats to approaching storms, where they gather and send back critical data to help people on shore plan, prepare and survive.
POV: You’re tossing a Spotter buoy out of a plane into the path of a hurricane.
With a hurricane approaching, accurate predictions about the storm’s strength, the expected rise in water level (storm surge) and which areas may need to evacuate can be a matter of life and death. Getting the data to make those predictions is getting easier thanks to the Spotter buoys made by Sofar Ocean Technologies.
Sofar’s Surface Spotter buoy.
Sofar makes two different types of Spotter buoys: a bright yellow one that floats on the surface, and a submersible cylindrical one with an anchor that drags it down to the ocean floor.
The surface Spotter buoys remain in the ocean long-term, joining a worldwide network of sensors providing regular ocean data to help ships navigate safer and more efficiently.
Sofar’s Submersible Spotter buoy.
Map of Sofar’s Surface Spotter buoys in the path of Hurricane Helene.
The submersible Spotter surfaces after the storm has passed to transmit its data, thanks to a Galvanic Timed Release that corrodes in seawater and detaches the Spotter from its anchor.
In 2024, Sofar deployed its buoys in front of hurricanes Francine, Helene and Milton. To see highlights of their deployment and our visit to Sofar’s San Francisco office, check out the video in this article.
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