Dayu Electronics: WaveSentry Low-Cost Wave Spectrum Buoy Launched, Enhancing China's Offshore Observation Network Density and Quality

Recently, the WaveSentry wave spectrum buoy was successfully developed by a team led by Shang Shaoping from the College of Ocean and Earth Sciences at Xiamen University, in collaboration with Zhong Yaozhao's team from Minjiang University and Shangguan Mingyu's team from our company (Fuzhou Dayu Electronics Technology Co., Ltd.). This buoy, which combines low cost, durability, and minimal maintenance requirements, further enriches China's independent wave spectrum observation technology portfolio and provides important technical support for enhancing marine observation capabilities.

Marine Observation: A National Priority

Marine observation capability is a crucial foundation for building a maritime power. Large-scale, high-precision, high-density, and high-frequency wave observation data directly impact the effectiveness of marine disaster prevention and mitigation, the safety of marine engineering, and the assurance of maritime navigation. At present, China's offshore wave observation network has been largely established and put into operational service, breaking the long-standing situation of "scattered deployment with reliance on imports." The WaveSentry wave spectrum buoy has the potential for large-scale deployment and is expected to contribute to the densification and quality improvement of China's offshore wave observation network.

Exceptional Performance, Lightweight and Durable

The WaveSentry features a disc-shaped design for excellent wave-following capability. Its carbon fiber shell resists seawater corrosion and UV-induced embrittlement, exhibits minimal deformation, and provides superior sealing, making it suitable for long-term marine observation. With a diameter of only 0.5 meters and a weight of approximately 11 kilograms, it can be deployed and maintained by a single person. Powered by lithium-thionyl chloride batteries with an annual self-discharge rate of less than 1%, it offers a battery life exceeding 12 months.

Notably, the WaveSentry is equipped with four sensor interfaces, enabling simultaneous measurement of sea surface temperature, salinity, pH, chlorophyll concentration, and other parameters. Moreover, its total manufacturing cost is only about 15% of the imported "Wave Rider" buoy with equivalent performance. As the internationally recognized gold-standard wave measurement buoy, the "Wave Rider" has been procured at prices as high as 748,600 RMB per unit. The WaveSentry achieves equivalent or even superior observation performance at a fraction of the cost of imported equipment, making large-scale deployment a practical reality.

Core Technology, Independent and Controllable

The R&D team holds fully independent intellectual property rights, with two core technologies:

- Full-stack edge computing: Based on the STM32 embedded platform, it performs full-stack edge computation of directional wave spectra and wave parameters, integrating data encryption and compression algorithms to significantly enhance data transmission security and efficiency.

- Wind speed measurement without external sensors: It measures sea surface roughness (Mean Square Slope) in-situ using 10 Hz attitude sensor data, and retrieves sea surface wind speed through iterative inversion based on the quasi-wave age parameter, eliminating the need for external sensors.

Sea Trial Verification: Reliable Data

The WaveSentry has passed testing and certification by the National Water Transport Engineering Testing and Measurement Station:

- Wave height accuracy: better than ±(0.05 + 5% of measured value) meters

- Wave period accuracy: better than ±0.1 seconds

- Main wave direction accuracy: ±2.6 degrees in laboratory tests

The buoy utilizes BeiDou satellite short-message communication to transmit real-time data to the cloud, including directional wave spectra, significant wave height, mean wave period, and mean wave direction. It has undergone multiple marine field tests in the coastal waters of Fujian, Shandong, Guangdong, and Hainan provinces. Among these, the longest continuous in-situ observation lasted 549.2 days, fully validating the product's durability and reliability.

About Us

Fuzhou Dayu Electronics Technology Co., Ltd., established in 2008, is an ultrasonic technology company integrating R&D, production, and sales. The company focuses on the development, production, and system integration of ultrasonic level meters, sensors, transducers, and related products. We maintain long-term cooperative relationships with Xiamen University, the Institute of Acoustics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Underwater Acoustics School of Harbin Engineering University, and many other universities and research institutions. Adhering to an innovative, pragmatic, and excellence-driven spirit, our company will continue to contribute to the independent controllability and performance enhancement of marine observation equipment.

Looking Ahead

The WaveSentry wave spectrum buoy is expected to achieve large-scale deployment in offshore areas, effectively supporting node densification and quality improvement of China's offshore wave observation network. Its application and promotion will further refine China's independent wave spectrum observation equipment system, injecting new momentum into enhancing marine observation capabilities and serving the construction of a maritime power.