¡VAMOS! consortium has held a live demonstration of the ¡VAMOS! technology at the Imerys Minerals test site in Lee Moor, Devon, UK.
The 29 visitors were divided up in small groups and guided around the premises by representatives of SMD, Damen Dredging Equipment and INESC TEC, who have been working on the various project components.
Following the tour around the premises the visitors were taken by boat to the launch and recovery vessel, where they were able to inspect the mining vehicle and witnessed the deployment and recovery of the vehicle.
Back on shore, the visitors were given an overview of the functionality of ‘EVA’ – the Exploration VAMOS AUV, an automated underwater vehicle that is being used to assist in precise positioning, navigation and situational awareness of the mining vehicle and that can execute preliminary surveys of underwater mine sites.
During the day, ¡VAMOS! demonstrated the integration of different systems to be applied in underwater mining.
“The consortium should be extremely proud of their efforts. What they have managed to achieve with the ¡VAMOS! System and its integration of new technologies is very impressive,” said Dr. Bramley Murton from UK’s National Oceanography Centre.
Next week the system will be demobilized and prepared for transport to the second test site in Bosnia and Herzegovina in spring 2018.