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Unmanned boats ready to control jellyfish at summer beaches

Unmanned boats ready to control jellyfish at summer beaches

Posted August. 02, 2016 06:45,   

Updated August. 02, 2016 07:08

한국어
An event took place Monday at waters off the village of Yongdong in Dodeok-myeon, Goheung County, South Jeolla Province. Three unmanned boats were seen hunting down jellyfish, the unwelcomed guest of beaches in the summer. Three boats, each measuring 3 meters long and 2 meters wide, maneuvered as if they are an airplane formation. The jellyfish control boats, which are dubbed "unmanned jellyfish cleaner," have been deployed by the Oceans and Fisheries Ministry for the first time this year.

The boat is made of reinforced fiber plastic and stainless steel. Installed under the boat are 3-meter-long collector and crusher designed to remove jellyfish. The vessel is operated by a human during the initial phase of operation, but when it reaches target waters, it autonomously operates by forming navigational patterns of "8" shape and "ㄱ" shape through the global positioning system.

The jellyfish control boat is capable of removing jellyfish at waters up to 5 kilometers from the beach amid tidal wave of 1 meter. Since the boat equipped with the collector and crusher operates at speeds of 2 kilometers per hour, there is no chance to cause damage to fish stocks. The boat, which costs 45 million won (40,600 U.S. dollars) per unit, consumes 10 liters of gasoline (15,000 won or 13.5 dollars) during six-hour operation. The ministry produced 12 unmanned jellyfish control boats, and is testing them at five maritime waters across the nation.  

The boat was produced by Rastech, a research company under the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology or KAIST. “When jellyfish herds appeared in Changwon waters on July 20, the boat effectively eradicated them,” said Kim Yeong-geun (47), director of Rastech. “Since it is difficult to locate jellyfish herds, we need help from fishermen.”  

With jellyfish alert in effect in South Jeolla and South Gyeongsang provinces, fishermen have mixed reactions to the emergence of the unmanned jellyfish control boat. Some expressed expectations by saying that the boat will efficiently remove jellyfish, while others raised concern because jellyfish population is immense and found in extensive areas of waters.



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