The OptoNaut Day-Sailor is a ruggedized, compact embodiment of  Optonautics' integrated planar architecture. It is a uniquely competent telepresence platform, designed for "all-day snorkeling" research and survey. The Day-Sailor also functions as a customizable sensor platform for cost-effectively testing new technologies, such as low-power, in-situ sampling systems. 

The highly portable and nimble Day-Sailor is engineered to be used as a "line-of-sight" tool, communicating  telemetry and streaming video with radio or wifi signals, depending on proximity to its Ground Control Station, up to 20 Km. away.  

Applications include University studies and Academic research in Environmental Science, Marine Biology, Robotics and AI, and as a rapidly deployable  "microscope"-in-the-sea, ever at-the-ready aboard research vessels for groundtruthing sonar signals. 

While "snorkeling" at sites of interest, the pilot of the Day-Sailor and virtual passengers around the globe, can enjoy a real-time streaming  telepresence experience, all the while downloading the immersive video and data collected during the previous dive. With the deep-diving OptoNaut Day-Sailor a researcher can safely and comfortably accumulate hours of sub-sea data in the course of a day.   

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The OptoNaut is a mature extension of the Day-Sailor system architecture, with two range-expanding enhancements and versatile science bay areas.

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• The OptoNaut is engineered to have a balanced energy budget, carrying a 3-day capacity to allow for flexible mission planning. It will intelligently monitor and plan around its anticipated energy needs, to "feed" itself, adjusting for weather and optimizing surface time. Expedition duration is limited primarily by a need for a good scrubbing every couple of months to remove bio-fouling.

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• SatComm. In addition to radio and wifi transceivers, the OptoNaut Expedition may be equipped with Iridium satellite communications, to interface with its Ground Control Station whenever on the ocean surface, from anywhere in the world. Additionally, we anticipate the use of an Unmanned Surface Vehicle to travel in tandem with Optonaut for geo-positioning, data storage, and long-range communications.

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With its anticipated 5000 kilometer cruising range, and a pilot/navigator on-watch whenever surfaced, the OptoNaut Expedition could deliver itself almost anywhere "on its own bottom", collecting data all along the way. Alternately, as needed, an entire fleet can be boxed, quickly airmailed around the globe and delivered in a parcel van to the dock to start their next mission. 

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Within range of about 15 nautical miles, the pilot and innumerable passengers can have a daily telepresence experience on-watch while an Optonaut is surfaced, during which satellite data telemetry and imagery are downloaded and any new mission instructions are delivered. Once mission instructions are confirmed the pilot can then send the xfish on its way again, or decide to linger and explore a particular site of interest with follow-up scans of the area.

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