Delivering on the promise of the AUV

摘要

The autonomous underwater vehicle is a versatile survey tool. Operating without a tether, it can make undersea transits or surveys hundreds of kilometres in length, in regions and water depths that are not accessible with manned vehicles. It can also operate from shore and carry out survey operations at a fraction of the cost of a large, manned platform. However, this potential is largely unrealised today, as most operators prefer to maintain supervisory control over their vehicles and operate from ships.