Spotter Platform | Real-Time Ocean Monitoring | Sofar Ocean
The Spotter Platform
A turnkey, all-in-one solution for real-time ocean data. From moored buoys to mobile vessels, every Spotter streams to the same dashboard and API.
100 m →
SPOTTER BUOY + SMART MOORING
Fixed-Point Ocean Monitoring
Moor in up to 100m of water for continuous surface and subsurface data. Measure waves, wind, and weather at the surface while extending sensing below with Smart Mooring sensors.
500 m →
SPOTTER SCOUT (BETA)
Spatial Survey & Gap Filling
Transit between locations to measure how conditions vary across a region. Fill coverage gaps or scout new deployment sites.
5000+ m →
FREE-DRIFTING SPOTTER
Lagrangian Monitoring
Follow currents to track conditions as they move. Deploy a Spotter buoy as a free drifter or use a Spotter Scout with return-to-home-capability.
SPOTTER SCOUT (BETA)
Deep Water Station Keeping
Hold position in water of any depth without a mooring. Configure station-keeping from 50m to 10km radius. 6+ months of unattended operation.
Core Components
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SPOTTER BUOY
Study the Surface
The foundation of the Spotter platform. Deploy a solar-powered buoy to capture real-time wave, weather, and sea surface data. Moor in up to 50m of water or free-drift in any depth.
SMART MOORING
Explore Below the Surface
Add an intelligent mooring cable to your Spotter Buoy. Plug in Bristlemouth-enabled sensors to measure sound, currents, temperature, and more at depth.
VIEW CONFIGURATIONS
Sound →
Water Level →](/content/products/spotter/solutions/water-level/index.html)
Currents →](/content/products/spotter/solutions/currents/index.html)
Temperature →](/content/products/spotter/solutions/temperature/index.html)
Water Quality →](/content/products/spotter/solutions/water-quality/index.html)
Custom →](https://spotter-configurator.sofarocean.com/)
spottter Scout
In Beta
Monitor Without Moorings
Trusted Spotter sensing on an uncrewed vehicle built by Online Oceans. Station-keep in deep water, transit between locations, or deploy as a drifter that returns home.
One Platform for Every Deployment
Whether your data comes from a buoy, a subsurface sensor or a mobile vehicle, it all transmits to the same Spotter Dashboard and API.
Always Connected
Your data transmits from anywhere on Earth. No retrieval missions. No data gaps. No waiting.
Access Data Your Way
Check conditions in real-time on our dashboard. Build custom integrations with our REST API. Download raw data anytime.
Control from Anywhere
Update sampling rates. Adjust alert thresholds. Deploy firmware updates. All without leaving your desk.
Start with One. Build a Network.
Every Spotter you deploy amplifies your ocean intelligence. As your network grows, patterns emerge and insights multiply.
One Spotter.
Continuous ocean data from your most critical location. Deploy in minutes and get real-time observations from day one.
Multiple Spotters.
See how conditions vary across a region. Track gradients, compare sites, and reveal patterns at a fraction of the cost of traditional monitoring.
Full network.
Combine fixed buoys with mobile USVs for complete coverage. One dashboard ties it all together, driving forecasts, models, and decisions.
Powered by Bristlemouth
Spotter is turnkey and ready to deploy out-of-the-box — but its superpower is flexibility.
Plug-and-play compatibility
Effortlessly add or swap sensors via Bristlemouth— the open ocean connectivity standard — to instantly expand your capabilities and meet evolving needs.
One standard across every form factor
The same Bristlemouth sensors work on Spotter Buoy + Smart Mooring and Spotter USV. Buy once, deploy anywhere in your network.
A growing ecosystem
Bristlemouth is an open standard backed by a growing community of sensor manufacturers. Sensors you buy today work with instruments released tomorrow.
Learn more about Bristlemouth →
Explore Real Spotter Networks
See how organizations worldwide use the Spotter platform to build monitoring networks that drive research, safety, and decision-making.
AQUALINK
Global Coral Reef Map
A global network of Spotter buoys and Smart Moorings tracking ocean temperatures at coral reef sites. Real-time surface and subsurface data helps researchers and citizen scientists monitor heat stress and protect vulnerable ecosystems.
SEAGULL
Great Lakes Observing System
Dozens of Spotter buoys across all five Great Lakes delivering real-time wave, wind, and temperature data to boaters, anglers, and rescue crews through the public Seagull platform.
UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
AusWaves
Moored and drifting Spotters spanning Western Australia's 10,000km coastline. UWA uses the network to advance wave forecasting, track marine heatwaves, and support coastal management. All data is publicly available.
Deployed Globally, Trusted Locally
From Arctic research stations to tropical storm monitoring, Spotter delivers reliable intelligence in nature's extremes.