Ocean monitoring is moving toward real-time, high-quality data from compact, autonomous systems. The OBS-BUOY 7 WATT is built for exactly that — a small, rugged wave buoy that delivers professional-grade measurements without the cost and complexity of traditional monitoring solutions.
Designed to be deployed by hand
At just 15 kilograms and 500 millimetres across, the OBS-BUOY 7 WATT can be deployed by hand — no crane, no vessel mobilisation, no heavy logistics. That changes what’s possible: sites and budgets that could never justify a large moored system can now carry a professional wave buoy, and a unit can be in the water within minutes for a short campaign or a rapid response.
It is built to last in demanding marine conditions. The float is moulded from UV- and wear-resistant HDPE, every fastener is 316-grade stainless steel to resist corrosion, and the solar panels are ETFE-coated to hold up under constant sun and salt spray. It needs little maintenance, which means fewer site visits and lower running costs across a long deployment.
Professional-grade wave data
At its core, the OBS-BUOY 7 WATT is a precision wave-measurement instrument. As it rides the waves, it records its own motion 6.25 times a second; every 30 minutes, it turns that motion into a full directional wave spectrum and derives the standard bulk parameters — significant wave height (Hm0), peak period (Tp), peak direction (Dirp) and more.
These are the same parameters used throughout coastal and ocean engineering, so the data drops straight into existing workflows: design criteria, operational limits, model validation and wave-climate studies. If you want to know exactly what each one means, our plain-language guide to wave parameters walks through every one.
Real-time data, from anywhere
Measurements are transmitted in real time over cellular or satellite to the Obscape Data Portal — a free, secure platform for viewing live data, configuring custom alerts, defining watch-circles, logging maintenance and generating automated reports. Configurable thresholds mean you’re notified the moment conditions cross a limit, not after the fact, and watch-circle alerts flag immediately if the buoy drifts off station.
Where it fits
Reliable wave data underpins offshore safety, engineering design and day-to-day operational decisions. A port assessing workable conditions, a coastal team tracking storm exposure, an offshore-wind developer gathering design data, a researcher building a wave climate — the OBS-BUOY 7 WATT puts that data within reach of all of them, affordably and without specialist deployment vessels.
See the buoy in full: the Obscape OBS-BUOY 7 WATT.