Design and Characterization of an Environmentally Conscious, Foldable Drifter for Accessible Ocean Sampling

The classic “Davis-type” surface drifter measures 1 m² by 1.8 m² tall and requires 0.2kg of plastic flotation. Deploying such drifters, particularly on the scales necessary to accurately observe sub mesoscale phenomena, is both fiscally and environmentally costly. This paper presents a drifter design that combines the need for compact, eco-friendly drifters with the educational goals of groups such as the Student Drifters Project. The resulting design folds into a 0.016 m²square mailing tube, deploys in a single motion, costs roughly half the price of the standard Student Drifter package, and requires only a drill press, grommet set, and either tin snips or a metal band saw to construct. The drifter has been tested under various wind and wave conditions in MIT's 30.5 m long wave tank and proved robust to wide variations in manufacturing quality.