The SVP-B is composed of three main elements, the surface float, the tether and the drogue. The surface float is made of two molded ABS plastic hemispheres, which are eventually glued together to form the float. The float is 16in. (40.6cm.) in diameter and accommodates not only an extra battery pack but also the additional instrumentation necessary to deliver barometric pressure.
This floats is equipped with a sensor for seawater temperature and a "strain gauge" which indicates whether the drogue is still attached to the float. 
Optionally, other instrumentation such as GPS and/or IRIDIUM may be added to the float. At the bottom of the float is a SS eyebolt 1" (25.4mm.) in diameter through bolted to the bottom of the float with .31 in. (8mm) SS nut. The eye part of this bolt is connected to the tether and their joint is shrouded with a plastic tube filled with epoxy to limit movement and inhibit corrosion.
This epoxy filled tube also provides "tooth" for the transitional strain relief "carrot" which is made of flexible plastic and has a large diameter at the float end of 2 in. (5cm.) and tapers down to the wire diameter in a slim cone shape for a length of 12.5in. (32cm.)
The tether is made of "Space-lay" wire rope 5/32 in. (4mm.) O.D. with a tensile strength o 1700 lbs. (771 KGs,). The upper end is attached to the surface float as above. It is cut so the center of the drogue, when suspended from the surface float, is approximately 49ft. (15m.) below the surface.
The "holey sock" drogue is made of 600 Denier Cordura Nylon cloths, the diameter of the tube is 24 ins. (61 Cm.) and the length is five times the diameter 120ins. (305 Cm,). The drogue is divided into 5 different sections; the center of each contains a ring stiffener of "polypropylene" to provide circular stiffness to the drogue center. Each section of the drogue also has two 12in. (30Cm) hole cut into it 180deg. apart. These holes are rotated 90 deg to the next adjoining section holes.
The drogue upper ring is mode of 1" (25.4mm) SCH 80 PVC to which the drogue is also attached. The cloth attachment area has four diametrically opposite areas left open to enable the attachment of the "spider" wires.
This "spider" is the lower attachment point for the tether and is so designed to provide resilience to the forces applied by the tether/float forces. Four Space-lay wire ropes 1/8 in. (3.2mm) OD are tensioned orthogonally across the upper PVC rings. These wires pass through a 2" (12.9Cm) SCH 40 PVC cap. The tether is attached at their junction and the joint is poured with epoxy to minimize relative motion and reduce corrosion. A carrot of the same dimensions as the one described above is also poured over the joint/tether assembly. In addition to protect the spider wires from chafe a 2in (5Cm) long of 1/4in. (6,3mm) air hose is used protect the spider wires where they pass through the PVC cap.
Surface Float: 40.6cm diameter, ABS plastic
Tether: 4mm wire rope
Drogue Depth: 15m (to center of drogue)
Drogue Diameter: 61cm
Drogue Style: Holey sock made from 600 Denier Cordura nylon cloth
Drogue Cross-sectional area above the drogue: 1334 cm2
Cross-sectional area of the drogue: 57341 cm2
Drogue Length: 670cm
Power Supply: 2ea 4 diode-protected battery packs, each 8 Duracell Alkaline D-cells
Controller Manufacturer: Technocean Inc.
Sensor Types: GPS, SST (Sea Surface Temperature) transmission rate may vary, up to one measurement per hour
Barometer Sensor: Honeywell HPB
Transmitter/Transmission: Argos/Iridium every hour or at request
Parameters: Subsurface level (15 meters)
Operating Life: 32 to 36+ months depending on power consumption some of these systems have lasted for 48 months under ideal conditions
Storage Life: 24 months at +22 C – +25 Degrees C
Air Temperature: -20 degree C to +50 degree C
Water Temperature: -2 degree C to +45 degree C
Wind: 0 to 50 Knots
Wave Height: 0 to 30 Feet
1) Remove the buoys from the shipping container, remove plastic shrink-wrap if present, and recordthe ID number of the buoy. It can be found on the cardboard float protection box. DO NOT REMOVE the cardboard float protection box or paper tape securing the drogue.
2) It is possible to deploy the buoys simply by removing the shrink-wrap and lowering the taped assembly into the water; however, to ensure proper operation, the buoy should be turned on at least 1 hour in advance of deployment to initiate the GPS and verify operation of the Argos/Iridium transmitter. For good results, during testing the buoys should be oriented to have an unobstructed view of the sky. To turn on the buoy, remove the magnet by separating it from its paper/Velcro attachment point through holes in the box surrounding the float. The magnet may be covered with tape for shipping. Replacing the magnet in the same position will turn off the unit and reset the program starting point. The magnet will also be automatically released after deployment into the ocean as the Velcro attachment base will dissolve in seawater. The Iridium transmitter operation should be checked via E-mail or Message.
3.) SVP-B drifters weigh 24.49 kg (54 lbs) each. Before deployment, the drogue and tether are bound with paper tape, which dissolves in the water, and the tether is wrapped around a water-soluble cardboard cylinder to protect it from kinking. The drifter is deployed by throwing it from the stern of a vessel, preferably from the lowest deck and within 10 m of the sea surface. Successful deployments have been made from ships steaming at up to 25 knots. After deployment, it may take up to an hour for the paper tape to dissolve and trapped air bubbles to be released, so that the drogue sinks to the target depth (15 m). Drifters have been air-deployed out of Lockheed C-130 Hercules, operated by the Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters and by the Naval Oceanographic Office which conducts surveys supporting naval operations primarily in the northern hemisphere. Deployments have also been conducted from a C-141 Starlifter. At Low Speed and low altitude with a parachute.