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Buoybot GPS Robot Race Marks Trialling at Datchet…..!!

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(This is the controller for the Buoybot kit, in case you’re wondering what it looks like!)

Are you trying robot race marks at your Club?? We have had them at Datchet for a while, and were getting occasional position stability and range challenges. We were probably becoming a little dis-spirited, but… all that is behind us NOW!!!

The Buoybots have just been upgraded from GPS to the new in-thing … “RTK”. The RTK system is a combination of GPS plus a new fixed point RTK beacon on the shore. To get position accuracy of maybe plus or minus 5cms (!), the buoys work out signal timing differences between a satellite and the RTK beacon. Clever kit! Honestly, traditional marks on sinker lines move more than 5cms!

Five of the marks were in use at Datchet today. They hosted six hours of races – including course adjustments for wind direction changes. The buoys held station and had plenty of radio range, even for Datchet.

The buoys, the RTK station and the Controller have some pretty generous battery capacities aboard (2200-5000mah) but after six hours generally used 40-60% of battery capacity. So full-on race days look pretty practical !!

Can’t wait to see more of them !!