12/17/2025
Open-ocean testing proves the flexibility of the Aquatic Imager 🌊
đź“Ť St. Petersburg, FL | December 2025
The Aquatic Imager from OceanSpace Sensors was recently deployed aboard the R/V Weatherbird during multiple offshore cruises along Florida’s west coast—and performed successfully in real-world, open-ocean conditions.
Over the course of week-long sampling efforts, the instrument was used in two configurations:
🔹 Flow-through sampling while underway
🔹 Desktop sample processing, with plankton samples collected from ~300 m depth using various nets and analyzed immediately upon return to the surface
Both deployment methods delivered strong results, demonstrating the ruggedness, flexibility, and suitability of the Aquatic Imager for use aboard research vessels—whether operating in continuous flow-through mode or with discrete, static samples.
Field testing also helped identify opportunities to further improve usability, particularly enhancements to the desktop sampling system—insights that will help guide future refinements.
Real-world conditions. Real-world performance.
