What We Do

AARC will work with an array of stakeholders including academia, government, industry, military, NGOs and others to promote collaboration, innovation and interoperability across platforms and domains in Atlantic Portugal, Spain and Macaronesia. It will work with the growing number of private and public organizations focused on unmanned (i.e. autonomous) ocean-related vehicles in the air (UAVs), on the ocean (USVs) and underwater (UUVs).

There is a logical, rough “half-moon” (a half circle arc) anchored by the Underwater Systems & Tech Lab at the University of Porto in the north and by PLOCAN in the Canary Islands in the south.  The Azores in the west represents the westernmost segment of the route (1,500 km from Porto), which is the location of the AIR Centre.  Madeira would be the next center to the southeast (950 km from Azores) continuing south to PLOCAN on Gran Canaria (550 km). 

AARC’s Mission

To run a long-distance maritime testing course that leverages testing facilities, allows vehicles to prove persistence and residence, and aggregates ocean data for a sustainable Blue Economy.

“TMA BlueTech is pleased to be partner with AIR Centre, Forum Oceano, and PLOCAN to create and operate AARC. We look forward to working with many organizations in the future - both partners and clients!”

Michael Jones - President, TMA BlueTech

“AARC puts the Atlantic in the center of the action. Fórum Oceano is pleased to be part of this consortium, to embrace this challenge and to surf the wave for a Blue Economy sustainable growth.”

Rui Azevedo - Secretary-general, Fórum Oceano

“AARC is about bringing the power of networking institutions and people with the goal of creating a unique set of long distance testing courses and facilities for use by companies, government agencies and NGOs from around the world. AARC is about doing more with less for a sustained robotic presence in the Atlantic ocean.”

João Tasso - University of Porto, LSTS - Underwater Systems and Technology Laboratory

What We’ve Achieved