Abstract
Quadcopter drones are readily available off-the-shelf; they are easily portable, low cost and low risk. Therefore, compared to traditional methods such as vessel-based current surveys, measurement of currents using drones is attractive both financially and logistically. Drones can record video of the water surface and then currents determined using velocimetry techniques. This approach has been regularly and successfully applied to rivers but has not been rigorously tested at more challenging tidal energy sites. The sensors are mounted on the Swansea University Self Recovery Instrument Frame(SUSRIF) and the frame could be used for other types of measurement.