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LionBot Reef Guardian

Conservation

An unmanned, solar-powered robot that autonomously hunts invasive lionfish—maintained locally by partner dive shops and conservation groups.

Key Features

  • Autonomous lionfish detection & capture (on-board AI)
  • Solar surface charging, smart re-dive cycles
  • Geo-fenced, people/boat-aware safety
  • Always-connected telemetry & analytics
  • Partner-maintained: simple rinse, inspect, empty catch canister

Problem

Lionfish are devastating Florida Keys and Caribbean reefs by preying on juvenile fish and reproducing rapidly. Current removal relies on divers—effective but limited by air time, depth, risk, and cost.

Solution

LionBot augments local lionfish hunters and dive shops with an unmanned robot that patrols, detects, and captures between dive windows. Partners handle quick maintenance during routine dives. The result: 10× more coverage with lower risk and verifiable ecological impact.

How It Works

AI Vision

Edge models (e.g., YOLO variants on Jetson/Coral) identify lionfish in real time.

Capture

Modular head—suction trap for live capture or precision spear with shield; fish stored in sealed canister.

Power

300–400 Wp surface solar on float platform, 1–2 kWh LiFePO₄ pack, MPPT charge.

Operations

Autonomous patrol; surfacing for charge/comms; LTE primary, mesh/LoRa fallback; cloud dashboard for logs & video.

Safety

Geo-fences, swimmer/boat recognition, auto-surface, return-to-dock failsafes.

System Diagram

System Diagram
Coming Soon!

Why Partner-Maintained

  • Uses existing boats, docks, and staff workflows
  • Lowers OpEx; increases buy-in and uptime
  • Strengthens local conservation brand & guest experience

Who Benefits

Dive Shops & Eco-Tour Operators

New revenue + PR; guests can sponsor bots.

Conservation Orgs/NGOs

Scalable, verifiable removals and open data.

Agencies (FWC/NOAA)

Lower cost per fish, continuous coverage.

Restaurants/Co-ops

Supply of lionfish meat (where permitted).

Pilot/MVP Targets

  • 10+ confirmed removals per pilot site
  • Full telemetry (GPS, depth, time, imagery)
  • Partner workflow: <10 min turnaround per maintenance touch

Specs Snapshot (Draft Targets)

Solar/Battery
300–400 Wp, 1–2 kWh usable
Thrusters
Brushless, sealed; cruise 100–300 W; bursts to 1–1.5 kW
Compute
Jetson Orin Nano or Coral TPU
Comms
LTE + mesh fallback; cloud dashboard
Hull
Low-profile USV with submersible module or ROV tether to float
Safety
AIS/visibility strobe, RF kill, geofence, remote override

Pricing (Illustrative)

Hardware (Pilot Units)

$5–8k

per bot

SaaS/Telemetry

$50–$150

per month per bot

Optional service/bounty programs via partner/NGO

FAQ

Is it legal to harvest lionfish by robot?

We work within local rules (e.g., FWC). Capture modes and zones are configurable and geofenced; partners coordinate permits.

Will it disturb reefs or people?

Navigation avoids coral structures and people/boats; operations bias to low-traffic windows.

What about maintenance?

Rinse, wipe optics, empty canister, quick checklist; module-swap design for fast turnarounds.

Data ownership?

Partners control local data; aggregated impact metrics may be shared (opt-in) with conservation stakeholders.

Partner with Us

Join us in protecting reef ecosystems with autonomous technology

Partner with usDownload one-pager (PDF)