LSTS FEUP

Laboratório de Sistemas e Tecnologia Subaquática is a Portuguese interdisciplinary research laboratory founded in 1997 that specializes in designing and operating unmanned underwater, surface, and air vehicles alongside networked vehicle systems. Based at FEUP, the lab deploys these autonomous platforms across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Mediterranean oceans to collect oceanographic data and support maritime operations using proprietary software toolchains like Neptus and DUNE.

• Innovation: The laboratory developed the Neptus command framework, IMC communication protocols, and the DUNE embedded software environment for real-time vehicle control.
• Industries: Research activities focus on oceanography, naval applications, maritime incident response, and environmental assessment in hazardous conditions.
• Operations: Teams have successfully fielded unmanned air, ground, surface, and underwater vehicles during international exercises such as CANON and Swordfish alongside partners like MBARI and the Portuguese Navy.

The lab received a national BES Innovation Award in 2006 for its design of the Light AUV.