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Team Canada Ocean Discovery XPRIZE

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EnviroDrone Ltd. (ENVD) is the sole Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE team from Canada, a global leader in drone technology, and a frontrunner among the twenty-one privately-funded teams from all over the world who are racing to develop AUVs for deepsea ocean exploration. The team focuses its efforts on furthering the development of its drone technology. Their drone development is led by Ryan Cant (Founder & CEO), who has contributed to the development of three (3) UAVs. ENVD operations are performed entirely by employees and student volunteers. The team consists of many professionals from various fields, including those outside of aerospace and scientific fields.

OUR MISSION
Founded in 2015 by a team of environmental scientists and remote sensing specialists, ENVD is driven by a mission to make scientific discoveries, support conservation, and galvanize action to protect the environment at large geographic scales. In addition to the Grand Prize, ENVD will be attempting to capture the NOAA Bonus Prize. ENVD Deepsea Autonomous Undersea System is most relevant to geoscience studies that are targeted at or close to the interface between the seabed and the water column. This is a critical interface, as it is a key physical habitat for benthic organisms as well as a zone of focused sediment transport and deposition. The ability to collect high-resolution data from this interface is essential, but technologically challenging in deepsea environments.

OUR TECHNOLOGY
ENVD is facing the challenges of the Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE and NOAA Bonus Prize with its unique AUV system, consisting of fixed-wing UAV “Tera” and a small air launched AUV “SeaDevil”. The AUV includes a biological and chemical sensor, so the device can be sniff a suspected vent or column along the sea floor. The AUVs have been developed after many iterations of prototyping and testing UAVs and their components and peripherals. The AUV' designs highlight the strengths of Canadian scientists and engineers: the miniaturization of complex machines and tight integration of electronics. A patent pending camera system on the SeaDevil enables it to capture high-resolution images. Data from the camera and other sensors will also be used by the AUV in Localization and Mapping to identify its surrounding environment and estimate its own position.

THE COMPETITION
The Shell Oil-sponsored Ocean Discovery XPrize moves to the semi-finalist stage with 21 teams from 25 countries, including Canada's sole team ENVIRODRONE. 
Round 1 - In the first official round, teams will be required to deploy their entries to operate at a depth of 2,000 meters, aiming to map at least 20 percent of the 500 km2 competition area at five meters resolution, identifying and imaging at least five archeological, biological or geological features at any depth, all within 16 hours. Thats 5x deeper than Lake Superior, while being tasked with mapping a space the size of Detroit and Windsor combined. 
Round 2 - Ten finalists will be required to double the depth and percentage of the map covered. The teams are competing for a total of $7 million, which will be spread out over the course of the competition, including a $4 million grand prize and $1 million for the runner-up.

FUNDING
ENVD is looking for support to help with direct costs related to research and development for their next-gen AUV. Throughout the next six (6) months, ENVD will carryout the difficult task to manufacture and test their new system which they will take to the competition floor this summer. ENVD is offing eight unique packages to get you onboard. Looking for just a t-shirt? The Vampire Squid package is right for you. Are you apart of a large coproration? The SeaDevil package would be a wonderful choice. This is a exciting journey and we would like for you to join us and explore the deep sea environment. 

BEYOND Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE
Apart from the aforementioned method of detecting of marine resources using acoustic sensors equipped on the SeaDevil, “electromagnetic survey,” “gravimetrical prospecting,” “magnetic prospecting,” and the like are required for resource detection activities. Furthermore, the development of fundamental tools aiming to provide biological and chemical sensors is in progress. ENVD believes timely, drone data will empower informed, deliberate and meaningful stewardship of our planet. ENVD seeks to cultivate the new small AUV industry with the knowledge and experience developed in this project.

FUTURE IMPACT
ENVD will usher in a new era of ocean exploration by pushing the boundaries of existing technologies and discovering new ocean species, underwater resources, geological features, and safer methods of exploring the deep sea. ENVD will accelerate innovation for the rapid movement for unmanned exploration of the unchartered deep sea, catalyze markets in deep ocean exploration and discovery. By doing so ENVD will support sustainable resource development and protection, and illuminate the most mysterious part of the planet by igniting the publics imagination.

Thank you for your support!

For press inquiries please contact: Ryan Cant,
[email redacted], 1+(226) [phone redacted]

Organizer

Ryan Cant
Organizer
Lasalle, ON

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