MSI is pleased to represent MetOcean Data Systems (MetOcean) exclusively in Australia. MetOcean is a manufacturing and development company located in Nova Scotia that, since its incorporation in 1985, has become a world leader in the design and manufacture of air-deployed and ship-deployed drifting buoys. During this time MetOCean has produced thousands of drifting buoys for programs such as WOCE and TOGA. Buoys delivered include for search and rescue (SLDMB), oceanography (iSVP), oil tracking (iSPHERE and Davis Drifters) and various ice platforms and acoustic systems to customers all over the world. MetOcean has developed niche markets in the fields of oceanography, meteorology, defence, and coastal environments on an international basis.

MetOcean Products

CABO Iridium Beacon - Self contained 1,000m Submersible Iridium Beacon

The MetOcean CABO Iridium beacon is a complimentary addition to their innovative oceanographic product group. The CABO beacon is a rugged, self-contained Iridium beacon that is fully submersible to 1,000m (3,280 ft). The CABO beacon can be either independently powered, or externally powered, depending on project requirements.

Equipped with Iridium satellite telemetry, the CABO beacon has been designed to monitor and protect your valuable assets and to provide cost effective data within real-time. Real-time data is not only vital when monitoring assets of great value, but it also enables the timely recovery of assets.

Ice Beacon - rugged polar instrument platform

The MetOcean Ice Beacon is a proven, rugged modular polar platform that is designed for a large sensor payload.

Measurements available with the MetOcean Ice Beacon include, ice movement (GPS Position), atmospheric data, ice and air temperature with an optional sub-surface CTD package. An optional Lithium battery pack is available for longer life and Iridium telemetry for bi-directional communication.

The hull is constructed of aluminum with an Ionomer foam collar for floatation. The tubular hull is intended to be placed into a hole drilled in the ice, which provides excellent stability. The design is very compact and light to allow for easy, quick deployment.

IMB - ice mass balance buoy

The MetOcean Ice Mass Balance Buoy was developed in partnership with CRREL (Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory). The Ice Mass Balance Buoy instrumentation is used to measure ice thickness and ice temperature, and to acquire meteorological and upper oceanographic data.

The Ice Mass Balance Buoy is able to retrieve the vital polar information from the buoys Campbell Scientific Data logger, an Iridium transmitter, a Thermistor String, and above ice and below ice acoustic sounders measuring the positions of the surface and bottom within 5 mm. In addition to the mass balance instrumentation, the buoys also have a GPS, a barometer, and an air temperature sensor.

The Ice Mass Balance Buoy was designed to be easy to deploy and cost efficient. This was successfully accomplished by manufacturing the Thermistor Strings out of PVC rod with YSI thermistors spaced every 10 cm. These rods are easily connected to assemble strings that are extended from the air through the snow and ice into the upper ocean. The thermistor accuracy is better than 0.1 C.

iSPHERE - current & oil spill monitoring drifting buoy

The iSPHERE is an expendable, low cost, bi-directional spherical drifting buoy. The drifter was developed to meet the demanding needs of the offshore oil industry, ocean freight industry and the oceanographic scientific community. The buoy was designed specifically to track and monitor oil spill incidences. The iSPHERE drifter also provides the user with essential real-time sea surface temperature data and GPS positional data.

The robust design of the iSPHERE allows the buoy to be deployed effortlessly from a vessel or an oil platform. The standard operating life of the buoy is approximately 30-60* days.

iSVP - current & Environmental Data Drifting Buoy

The MetOcean SVP-Iridium drifter is an innovative addition to the spherical drifter family. The SVP-Iridium drifter has been designed and thoroughly tested to track ocean current and provide environmental data at a designated depth beneath the ocean surface.

The SVP-Iridium drifter is truly unique. The buoy utilizes the dependable bi-directional Iridium satellite system to communicate and to transmit essential scientific data. Iridium telemetry is the most cost effective means of transmitting data for environmental applications.

The MetOcean SVP-Iridium drifter is also remarkably versatile. Additional sensor options are available, which included: air pressure (BP), salinity (CT), GPS positioning, wind speed and wind speed direction (WSD).

PAWS - polar area weather station

The MetOcean Polar Area Weather Station (PAWS) is a compact, rugged and easy to use polar platform which provides quality controlled data in harsh weather conditions. The PAWS was designed for unattended operations at remote sites requiring high reliability, low power consumption, and dependable operational performance.

The PAWS surface unit mast is equipped with an Iridium satellite antenna, GPS, air temperature sensor, barometer port and an optional humidity sensor. The sea surface temperature sensor is internal to the unit hull assembly. The PAWS is also outfitted with a wind speed mast assembly consisting of a RM Young anemometer and PNI TCM2.5 compass. The PAWS has been designed to transmit weather related data on a 3-hour interval over the Iridium satellite network for a period of 1 year.

Polar iSVP - rugged ice & current flow tracking buoy

The Polar iSVP is an expendable, low cost, bi-directional spherical marker beacon. The beacon was developed to meet the demanding needs of the offshore oil industry, ocean freight industry and the oceanographic scientific community. The beacon was designed specifically to track and monitor ice flow movement. The Polar iSVP also provides the user with essential real-time barometric pressure and GPS positional data.

POPS - polar ocean profiling system

The MetOcean Polar Ocean Profiling System (POPS) is a rugged ice platform system, which provides meteorological and oceanographic data via Iridium. The system consists of six major elements: System Controller, CompactFlash® Data Logger, Ice Platform, Meteorological Sensors, Data Telemetry and Global Positioning System, and a Subsurface CTD Vertical Profiling System.

The hull is constructed of aluminum with an Ionomer foam collar for floatation. The tubular hull is intended to be placed into a hole drilled in the ice, which provides excellent stability. The design is compact and light to allow for easy, quick deployment.

self locating datum marker buoy (SLDMB) - expendable drifter for SAR / current tracking

MetOcean designed the Self Locating Datum Marker Buoy (SLDMB) specifically to meet the stringent performance requirements of coast guards for Search and Rescue (SAR) operations in the open ocean. The MetOcean SLDMB design is based on the reliable CODE/Davis style oceanographic surface drifters.

The MetOcean SLDMB in an inexpensive expendable drifter which is equipped with a bi-directional satellite transmitter and a GPS receiver. Due to the urgency of SAR situations, the SLDMB is able to communicate critical data within real-time to the end-user. Robustly designed, the SLDMB is air certified and can be deployed with ease from helicopters, ships, fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. The drifter’s operating life is between 30-60* days depending on the required data transmission rate.

WABO Iridium Beacon- Self contained 6,000m Submersible Iridium Beacon

The MetOcean WABO Iridium beacon is a complimentary addition to their innovative oceanographic product group. The WABO beacon is a rugged, self-contained Iridium beacon that is fully submersible to 6,000m (19,685 ft). The WABO beacon can be either independently powered, or externally powered, depending on project requirements.

Equipped with Iridium satellite telemetry, the WABO beacon has been designed to monitor and protect your valuable assets and to provide cost effective data within real-time. Real-time data is not only vital when monitoring assets of great value, but it also enables the timely recovery of assets.

For additional information (including data sheets) or a quotation, please contact us.