From underwater drones to IoT, from farming plants designed using simulation tools to applied artificial intelligence, will be showcased at the Sixth Edition of AquaFarm in Pordenone, Italy from February 15-16, 2023.

As in many different sectors, even aquaculture relies more and more on drones, technically known as ROUV (remotely operated underwater vehicles) that support divers in underwater works typical of marine aquaculture but also fish farming and shellfish farming. The most recent developments concern the complete replacement of human intervention in some activities, such as inspections and fish counting, thanks to increasingly dependable sensors. More radical developments are pushing in the same direction, making it possible to dispense with the cable connection with the command station, both through the use of different types of wireless connections (optical, ultrasonic, radiofrequency) and by equipping the vehicles with a degree of autonomy and intelligence.

The application of distinct types of artificial intelligence to aquaculture does not end there. A particularly interesting field is the counting of fish contained in an offshore cage, currently taking place with empirical methods, that join together sensors with an AI algorithm. In this way, it is possible to improve resource planning by eliminating, for example, waste of feed, which today represents about half of the farming costs. Always combining sensors with AI, today it is possible to keep the water conditions in farms under control or work on them.

The field of sensors for aquaculture sees a huge development. These technologies also allow farmers to design farms in the best possible way, both at sea and on land, taking into account the environmental conditions in which they are going to be operated and devising solutions for better animal welfare, improved work functionality and ergonomics for the workers.

For more information on the conferences and how to participate in AquaFarm 2023, visit www.aquafarm.show.