Where are we going – AUVs
Future underwater robotics
Related to performing tasks, remotely, in inhospitable places
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Scientific tasks
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The ability to deploy AUVs to cruise over long distances without mother ship support has major implications for science. Regular cruises are now carried out, seeking knowledge to improve our understanding of global climatology, marine flora and fauna and the geology of, for instance, the mid–ocean ridges and the associated plate tectonics. Because no mother ship is required, research and exploration can also be carried out under the pack ice. There is also much scope for cruises to gather data to currents, seismic activity and seabed geotechnics for the oil industry. This will feed into the design of offshore installations, with particular regard to hydrodynamic loading of deep draught, surface–piercing structures, and the mooring systems they will require.
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These results, and others, will also be used by the scientific community to enhance data obtained by scientific AUV cruises.