Developed under the leadership of Prof. Julia Schmale (EPFL, ENAC IEE EERL), Prof. Mirko Kovac (EPFL, ENAC IIE LSR & Empa), and Dr. Lucas Paoli (EPFL, Microbiome Immunity and Ecology Lab), MEDUSA is a proof-of-concept drone capable of taking off from the sailboat, flying over hazardous areas, landing on water, and deploying a tethered underwater robot. This allows scientists to collect samples from the surface and deeper layers in locations too dangerous for humans, such as near unstable icebergs or calving glacier fronts.
This successful demonstration illustrates how innovation can push the boundaries of polar research.
FOREL also hosted one of the first tethered balloon (Helikite) deployments from a sailboat, enabling the collection of aerosols and airborne microbiomes up to cloud level.
As FOREL sails back to France, these experiments highlight the vessel’s role as a flexible platform that allows scientists to safely test high-tech instruments in extreme environments.
Photo credit: Julia Schmale
