Bhubaneswar: National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) has transferred the technology for the Autonomous Underwater Profiling Drifter (AUPD), developed by National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai, to Odisha-based startup Coratia Technologies Pvt Ltd under a licensing agreement aimed at strengthening India’s blue economy and supporting Atmanirbhar Bharat.An NRDC official statement issued last Thursday said the tripartite technology transfer agreement was signed and exchanged at the NIOT campus in Chennai on Oct 21. The agreement involved NIOT director Balaji Ramakrishnan, Coratia Technologies CEO Debendra Pradhan and NRDC regional head Bijay Kumar Sahu, who joined the event virtually. Among others, Hareram Sahoo and Bhavya Manjeera of NRDC, along with officials of NIOT and Coratia Tech, were present.Sahu said the AUPD is a free-drifting, buoyancy-controlled oceanographic device capable of measuring temperature, salinity and depth up to 2,000 metres. “Equipped with a conductivity, temperature and depth (CTD) sensor, it continuously monitors ocean climate variability and transmits real-time data via satellite, helping improve understanding of ocean heat content, freshwater transport and forecasting models through data assimilation,” he said.According to officials, the technology has applications in climate monitoring, marine ecosystem management, clean energy and ocean research, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals. Coratia Technologies plans to deploy the technology for clients, including Indian Navy, Indian Oil Corporation and deep-sea mining exploration companies, said official sources.Sahu said the initiative is aligned with Odisha govt’s flagship initiative for leveraging the blue economy: Odisha Marine Biotechnology Research and Innovation Corridor programme.