Based in the city of Larnaca, Cyprus, the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI) has been operating ten Research and Innovation Centers since its founding in 2019. According to the center’s website, “CMMI’s vision is to drive sustainable Blue Growth by addressing the needs of industry and society within the spectrum of the marine and maritime sectors.” CMMI is funded in part by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme. Recently, CMMI announced a new collaborative project utilizing drone technology in a first-of-its-kind program called Eonios.

Support and input for CMMI’s project Eonios come from underwater drone manufacturer Arkeocean and Lanego, a startup consulting firm, both from France, along with the Cyprus-based defensive signal and communication provider SignalGeneriX. While all parties play a pivotal role in the success of project Eonios, the bulk of the responsibilities lie with CMMI and Arkeocean, who will be running the experiment utilizing underwater autonomous vehicles (AUVs) to monitor arfiticial coral reefs.

With two main centers located on both of France’s coasts, Arkeocean was founded in 2009 by Thierry and Tamara Brizard. The company is dedicated to the development of AUVs that can work in swarms, rather than as individual devices, through a program they call Deep Swarm Positioning (DESPOT). “Today, underwater exploration is still carried out by a small number of autonomous drones, which are pinheads in the immensity of the ocean,” said Mr. Brizard. “DESPOT is the technology that will enable us to scale swarms to thousands of AUVs, forming an observation instrument finally adapted to the immensity of the ocean.”

Arkeocean’s platform combines micro underwater drones with a deep base station that guides and positions the drones. In some cases, the deep base could be towed by a nearby ship. For the Eonios project, stationary bases that will also serve as docking stations will be used. These docking stations will serve as charging and data transfer ports. The security of the data transfers will be protected by the connectivity provided by SignalGeneriX.

Arkeocean refers to their swarm AUVs as micro-drones, that is due to their light, naturally buoyant design. The drones, called Inca and part of the Lelantos system, are approximately 3 feet long and torpedo-shaped. As they are launched into the water, they automatically start their engines and travel to a predesignated coordinate. The drones then patrol the environment, collecting visual and acoustic data, which is wirelessly transmitted to the nearest docking station.

For project Eonios, the drones will be used to monitor artificial reefs that have been built in barren seabed areas. The reefs are 3D printed using environmentally safe and stable cement. CMMI is hopeful that the reefs will attract maritime wildlife. To properly monitor the success of the reefs, noninvasive devices like drones are necessary. The drones can remain in the water for long periods without disturbing any creatures that explore the area. Simultaneously, the drones will collect data on the progress of the reef while alerting CMMI to any illegal activities, such as fishing in the restricted experimental area.

CMMI CEO Zakarias Siokouros said they have already launched a trial run of the Lelantos system, which can operate at depths of up to 300 meters (984 feet). For the current project Eonios parameters, the drones are operating at depths of approximately 20 meters (66 feet) at the Ayia Napa Marina in Limassol, Cyprus. At the launch of the program, Mr. Siokouros emphasized the importance of what a successful artificial reef could mean for Cyprus. “The reefs attract everything from vegetation to large fish,” he said, “and for waters off Cyprus, where there isn’t enough food for fish, we aim to create the appropriate environment to bring such fish there.”

While project Eonios is still in its data-collecting stages, Mr. Siokouros says that CMMI and its collaborating partners foresee the program being fully functional by the end of 2025. At that point, they aim to expand the artificial reef and drone system to other locations around Cyprus, as well as market it to others interested in enhancing their maritime environments. As CMMI continues to advance its innovative approach to marine conservation, the success of the Eonios project could pave the way for a sustainable future in maritime ecosystems around the world. By combining cutting-edge drone technology with environmental restoration efforts, CMMI is setting a new standard for preserving marine life. The collaborative effort between CMMI, Arkeocean, and other partners holds great promise for transforming how we protect and enhance our oceans.

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