From the Classroom to the Coast
In September 2024, our Gear Research Team got an exciting email. It was from Robbie Munsey, a Computer Science Coordinator at St. Anne’s-Belfield School in Charlottesville, Virginia. He asked if someone from our team could talk to his middle school robotics students about on-demand fishing gear and how underwater cameras could help in our research. I often handle outreach like this, and I was thrilled to connect with these future scientists.
After several calls and emails—and after the students won both state and regional robotics competitions—the team shipped their project to us. It was an acoustically triggered, 360-degree underwater camera. They were preparing for the 2025 FIRST Championship World Robotics Competition held April 29–May 2 in Houston, Texas. They wanted us to field test it ahead of the competition.
The Tech Behind the Camera
Let me tell you… they didn’t just send a basic prototype. What arrived was a well-packaged, acoustically triggered, 360-degree underwater camera system. It came with an easy-to-follow manual, spare parts, and everything we needed to power and deploy it. The setup was intuitive, and I only needed one quick video call with the team to confirm a few details.
The camera itself is housed in a waterproof casing rated for depths of up to 150 meters, or about 500 feet. Attached to it are two powerful lights and an acoustic release system—components we regularly use in our fieldwork. These students had cleverly modified the acoustic trigger with magnets to activate the camera and lights when they received a signal from the surface.
Camera Overboard: Take 1
Our first field test was aboard a local fisherman’s boat. We mounted the camera on one of our on-demand buoy systems that uses pop-up buoys and sent the signal to activate it. The buoy surfaced perfectly—but the camera and lights didn’t turn on. When I opened the housing, I found that a wire had disconnected and some 3D-printed parts had cracked. No problem—I reached out to the robotics team, and they quickly walked me through the repairs.
After a little glue and some drying time, we tested the system again on a different vessel using another type of on-demand system.
Camera Overboard: Take 2
Lobsterman Rob Martin helped me rig the camera to a liftbag on-demand system. We work closely with Rob to test these on-demand systems. He has several years of experience both as a lobsterman and testing these alternative gear types. He graciously let us use his boat for field testing the camera.
The camera didn’t work the first time. Another loose wire! After a quick adjustment, we tried again and this time… success! The lights turned on, and we knew the camera was recording.
But science rarely happens without a twist. As Rob hauled the gear back onboard, the camera hit a metal part of the boat and broke free from the acoustic release. Thankfully, the housing was sealed and floated and we retrieved it without a problem.
Then came the next challenge: how to reattach it. After a few failed attempts, including duct tape, Rob came up with a simple fix—zip ties and string. It actually worked better than the original setup! We had one more successful deployment before we had to stop work. Always having one eye on the water, Rob noticed several endangered North Atlantic right whales about a half mile off our stern.
A Whale of a Day
During our field test, we had an incredible moment—we spotted several right whales, including a mother and calf that were later confirmed by our North Atlantic Right Whale Aerial Survey team. The team confirmed the mom and calf pair as Check Mark and her new calf. This pair had last been seen by drone off the coast of Florida in January, so seeing them safe and healthy in the Northeast months later was a big deal.
North Atlantic right whales are one of the most endangered whale species on the planet. There are approximately 370 individuals remaining, including about 70 reproductively active females. Every single whale matters. That’s why moments like this are more than just exciting—they’re a reminder of how urgent and important our work is. On-demand fishing gear is one tool that can help reduce the risk of whale entanglements while still allowing fishermen to work in closed areas.
Seeing several of these whales up close was unforgettable. Every test, every improvement, brings us one step closer to giving this species a better chance at survival.
Riding the Waves of Trial and Triumph
Some might see all the broken parts and technical hiccups as failures. But to us—and to these students—this is what science is all about. You try something, perform rigorous testing, learn what doesn’t work, make improvements, and try again. That’s essentially the scientific process in action. It’s not just about results—it’s about learning, refining, and moving forward.
What was one of the most thrilling parts of this whole experience? The student team went on to win the Robot Design category at the 2025 FIRST Championship World Robotics Competition in the FIRST LEGO League Challenge Division. They’re officially world champions!
Their cameral system, along with their determination and creativity, has truly blown us away. These middle schoolers didn’t just build a cool gadget—they developed a tool with real-world applications for marine fisheries research. My team and I are genuinely excited about how this camera system can help us better understand on-demand gear performance and how marine life interacts with fishing equipment.
We’re so impressed by what they’ve accomplished, and we’re already looking forward to seeing what they come up with next!
