Unmanned Tech for Ocean Protection: Lecture by CDR Matthew Pickett, NOAA (Ret) and President, Oceans Unmanned

Sponsored by: Marie L. Morrisroe

 According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “our oceans are filled with items that do not belong there, [such as] consumer plastics, metals, rubber, paper, textiles…and other lost or discarded items…making marine debris one of the most widespread pollution problems facing the world’s oceans and waterways.” Oceans Unmanned is developing new techniques to survey for marine debris along rugged coastlines and remote beaches using Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) —more commonly called drones—and immersive visualization software for greater effectiveness and safety. UAS are also used to support research and monitoring projects, such as shallow water shipwreck surveys, the New England Grey Seal Survey and Hawaii Humpback Whale Research. CDR Matthew Pickett, NOAA (Ret) will discuss how drones are used for a variety of ocean and coastal research and their management requirements.

CDR Pickett spent twenty years providing operational support NOAA aboard ships, small boats, aircraft and diving. He has twelve years of experience supporting the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, including three years as the Superintendent of Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. His aviation experience includes flying multiple fixed-wing aircraft and UAS for remote sensing and living marine resource surveys, supporting environmental research, and monitoring requirements. He is a founder and president of Oceans Unmanned, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting our oceans and coastal marine environment by facilitating the use of unmanned technologies and promoting their safe and environmentally conscious operation through education and outreach.

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Since 2000, the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum has featured many artifacts and stories to share the history of the Santa Barbara Channel with more than 40,000 visitors annually and provides year-round experiential maritime history and marine science education for local youth. Featuring the impressive First-Order Fresnel Lighthouse Lens from Point Conception, SBMM’s current exhibits explore the History of Oil in Santa Barbara Channel & Chumash Use of Asphaltum, the Honda Disaster, and Wives and Daughters: Keepers of the Light.

SBMM is located at the historic Santa Barbara Harbor at 113 Harbor Way, Suite 190, Santa Barbara, CA 93109.  Visit sbmm.org or call (805) 962-8404 for details.