Support EAS: Building Autonomous Boats for Safety

Rhylend Culver is organizing this fundraiser.

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Why This Project Matters

EAS was started as a project by myself, Rhylend Culver in early 2020 during the lockdown. I had seen news articles of boat fires, oil spills and constant drownings around where I had lived. I felt the need to find a solution to this problem. It wasn't until during my rookie year in my local robotics team, that I truly knew the project had promise. My closest advisors and partners for this project, Jonah Cooley and Jonah Kollmann showed me how this project could work out in the long term. Along with them I revised everything about the project, making a website, designing the boat in CAD and developing large amounts of documentation. The easy part was the software, as it was largely free. The hard part is the hardware, which is costly and this fundraiser will cover. My hope is that I as a upperclassman, along with my two closest partners can help make this platform I have a strong passion for, a reality.

Core Values & Mission

EAS has 3 core values: simple, effective and cost effective. These 3 core values demonstrate the true colors of EAS. This project is not just about boats, or even just autonomous systems. It is about making a genuine change in the community when that change is needed. EAS strives to release EXPL 1, our crown jewel boat, demonstrating our capabilities. A later goal is to continue this project expanding into air and ground autonomous systems.

Why we need funding

EAS would be impossible to create without proper funding, and by raising this money the project will be able to build the first of the EXPL series of boats. This boat will be able to perform search and rescue, disaster response, scientific missions and other public safety roles. The current total cost of parts outweighs what we as team members are able to supply. This boat will be operated, for the first 6 months, under EAS for free as a service to the public. By providing this service the boat is able to demonstrate its capabilities allowing agencies to see the potential of the platform.

Future plans

In the future EAS hopes to expand. Not only expand the project to a company, but also expand the platforms offered from EXPL (small, budget purpose built boats) to the EVO platform, which are full size boats capable of ocean travel. We also plan, through a future fundraiser, that EAS can purchase several 1200w generators to deploy during disasters and large power outages.

Costs

With this project comes a lot of costs. Not only does it require a lot financially for the boat itself but it also costs a lot in tooling, minor parts, the receiving and transmitting side of the platform and getting the project turned into a company. Here's a rough breakdown of what the money will be used for (exact prices aren't listed as prices of parts fluctuate):

Hardware ~$7,000 or 70%
RX/TX for platform ~$1,000 or 10%
Registration as a company $400 or 4%
Software, and other minor elements $600 or 6%
Supporting the EAS staff $1,000 or 10%

If the project goes over the amount for the fundraiser ($10,000usd) then the money will be split among the following:

R&D for the next generation of the platform
Supporting the EAS staff
Upgrades towards the primary boat

If the fundraiser is over by a large amount then EAS will purchase a company tow vehicle, designed for commanding the platforms as well as supporting the platforms deployed. If the fundraiser goes over considerably, and include both this vehicle AND development of another platform then that will be the case. Leftover money that does not need to be used will be donated to OSAB, if that is the case.

Risks

This project is extremely risky. And most companies have proven no interest in the project. Because of this lack of interest causing us to have to pay more for parts it drives the price up, making supporters more unsure. However, despite all these risks EAS will provide valuable information and lessons learned to the Open Source Autonomous Boat project, helping said other project develop scientific research boats that anyone can produce. EAS will also post updates, during the fundraiser posts will be made on GoFundMe as well as on our website, project-eas.com. This project is risky, yes. However with this funding it will make a difference.

Social media

Further information, progress, ect will be posted on Instagram, as well as on our website:

Instagram: @explorer_autonomous_project

Website: https://project-eas.com

EXPL 2 concept images:

(image in cover is EXPL 1)

EXPL 2 will be constructed instead of 1 if funding exceeds the goal