A Novel Autonomous Marine Profile Elements Monitoring and Sample Collection System

This study develops an autonomous ocean observation system designed for continuous, multidimensional marine parameter monitoring. The system integrates sensor-based monitoring and sample collection capabilities, utilizing tidal energy to facilitate vertical movement within the water column (0–50 m). The system combines tidal energy utilization with a buoyancy regulation unit, significantly reducing reliance on conventional battery power while maintaining the system’s flexibility in deep control, demonstrating superior energy efficiency compared to traditional platforms. The combination of sensor monitoring and sample acquisition enables real-time acquisition of oceanographic parameters (e.g., temperature, salinity, chlorophyll) and on-demand water sample collection for high-precision laboratory analysis. Laboratory and sea trials validated its ability to perform reciprocating vertical motion, autonomous buoyancy regulation, and leak-free sample collection, confirming feasibility for long-term coastal ecosystem monitoring. This study highlights the potential of autonomous systems for sustainable ocean observation and environmental monitoring.