Lotus River Drifter

These low-cost, robust drifters are easy to operate and are equipped with satellite communications. Originally conceived for use in flooding rivers, they can also be used to great effect as Lagrangian drifters to gather turbidity data at sea. The low price and dependable communications reduces the importance of instrument recovery which can often be both difficult and dangerous in the flooding rivers the instrument was originally designed for.

Drifters Ready for Deployment

Range

• Turbidity: 0 – 600 NTU

Accuracy

• Turbidity: ± 0.5 NTU

General

• Maximum Depth: 1 m

• Data Rate: programmable (usually 1 scan/transmit every 10 minutes)

• Data Storage: SD card

• Communications: Satellite comms using Globalstar network

• Input Voltage: 12 V (nominal)

• Battery Pack: 8 × AA Cell Alkaline Batteries OR 8 ×D Cell Alkaline Batteries

• Battery Life: 17 days with AA batteries OR 11 weeks with D Batteries (based on 10 min scan/transmit period)

• Housing Material: PVC

There is also a bobbing version of the drifter which can vary its position in the water column by means of a feedback controlled piston this enables it to change its buoyancy to take depth profile measurements.

Bobbing Drifter