First Day in the Water!

Sam + Makoto with a view of Sliema

 Today was our first day deploying the IVER in Malta!  We took an e-Cab from our apartment in Sliema over to St. Elmo's Bay in Valletta where there's a sheltered cove and a shipwreck we plan to eventually reconstruct with photogrammetry.  Initially we found that the GPS-referenced maps left over from last year's ICEX team are all shifted by several kilometers (how did they plan missions??), but we reloaded the map of St. Elmo's from the internet and executed several successful lawnmower missions over the wreck in the cove. 

Cal Poly team with Fort St. Elmo

Even though we had some trouble with the maps and getting the robot in the water through surging waves, it was a truly exquisite day to be outside in such a beautiful place -- blue sky, clear water, and cool wind to cut through the heat.  It was a successful first deployment, and it taught us the valuable lesson of making sure that the GoPro is turned on before sending the robot out.  We're already looking forward to many more days of great times by the sea.

Taking off the fins + kawaii Sam

-Russell