Q-Boat in Queensland

The Teledyne OceanScience Q-Boat showed its stuff in a demonstration on the South Johnstone river in Innisfail, Queensland. The versatile and re-configurable Z-Boat becomes a Q-Boat when a Teledyne RDI ADCP is integrated. The Q-Boat provides a fast and safe way to conduct river gauging operations without the need for personnel to enter rivers or work from busy traffic bridges or other high risk locations.

UVS General Manager, Mark Hegarty said that the Q-Boat attracted a great deal of interest at the demonstration. “The capability of the Q-Boat is easy to see”, said Mark, “It can perform river transects under remote control so that the operator does not need to enter the river or to rig cable ways or other infrastructure”.

Many hydrographic authorities are now starting to consider the use of robotic tools like the Q-Boat to remove staff from high risk locations such as flooding rivers, debris in river or the risk of crocodile attack which is present in Australia’s north. The Q-Boat is an example of robotics that removes people from the “dull, dangerous and dirty” work of gathering data in the field in difficult locations.

Observers at the Q-Boat demonstration assist with the setup of the boat that is easy to understand and quick to launch. The powerful Q-Boat can be operated in fast flowing rivers with a high degree of control.