On-Device Vision
ESP32-P4 with ESP-DL detects species and measures size at depth. IR illumination works in zero-visibility bottom conditions.
SmartPot
The crab pot hasn't been reinvented in a hundred years. It's time.
What is SmartPot?
Section titled “What is SmartPot?”SmartPot is an autonomous, intelligent crab trap system that knows what it caught, reports home over long-range radio, takes commands from the boat or shore, and can surface on demand — no permanent buoy line required.
LoRa Telemetry
Smart buoy relays catch data, GPS position, battery level, and water temperature over miles of range.
Ropeless Recovery
Ballast release surfaces the pot on command — no permanent buoy line, zero whale entanglement risk.
Bidirectional Commands
AES-128 encrypted command protocol: lock doors, release bycatch, capture images, force status reports — all from the boat or shore.
Tide-Aware Alerts
Phone GPS + NOAA tide predictions track the productive window — flood tide start through one hour after high tide. Leave pots across tidal cycles with zero risk. See Tidal Awareness.
Fail-Safe Design
Designed to fail safe — doors unlock on timeout to release catch, GPS beacons persist through power loss, and all faults are reported to the operator.
Architecture
Section titled “Architecture”The system has three communicating units:
| Component | Hardware | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Submerged Unit | ESP32-P4 + OV5647 NoIR + servo | Vision, detection, size measurement, door control |
| Smart Buoy | Heltec Wireless Tracker | LoRa relay, GPS, solar power |
| Base Station | Heltec Tracker | Receive telemetry, send commands |
Explore the System Overview to see how they connect.