NOARC fosters new technologies to help restore coastal natural resources

May 5, 2016

The National Oceans and Applications Research Center at Stennis Space Center is gearing up to foster new technologies that will help restore the state’s coastal natural resources. It focuses on new environmental monitoring technologies and new unmanned maritime and airborne vehicles.

David Brannon, who heads NOARC’s office at Stennis Space Center, said the state chartered private, non-profit enterprise was created to enhance the Coast’s economy and make it more resilient to manmade or natural disasters.

Ultimately, Brannon said, the goal is to create opportunities for the expansion of the “Blue Economy” on the Gulf of Mexico.

NOARC partners with companies including I2R at the space center as well as with state and federal agencies, research universities and others to test developing technologies using the Mississippi coastal area as a proving ground for new applications that support Gulf Coast restoration actions.

Brannon said NOARC is teaming up with the state Port at Gulfport to demonstrate the use of unmanned surface maritime vehicles to monitor the environment, examine port access and analyze hazards.

“It is a work in progress to use Gulfport as a proving ground and learning site to examine new technology,” Brannon said.

Identifying and packaging new systems, he said, “brings new and better capability for restoration and improving waterfront resilience at all coast ports, starting in Gulfport.”

NOARC also is involved in mapping the state’s oyster resources using new technologies.

“The goal is to assemble technologies to bring to bear on our restoration challenges and to create a high tech industry cluster on the coast that creates a new footprint of hi tech companies and jobs,” Brannon said.