Find suppliers and manufacturers of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, AUV technology, underwater gliders and autonomous submarines for survey, research and military applications
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Technology Editor Last updated: October 20th, 2023
AUVs & Autonomous Submarines
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) are a subset of Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) that can function without real-time control from a human operator. They can be programmed to follow mission waypoints along a predetermined route and collect data or activate other payloads. Some autonomous submarines may use artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to make decisions and react to changes in their environment.
Slocum G3 Underwater Glider by Teledyne Marine
Underwater Gliders
Most AUVs are powered by rechargeable batteries, and some may also use fuel cells or solar power. The vehicles often use electric-powered propellers and thrusters for propulsion. A subset of AUVs, known as underwater gliders, use variable buoyancy to change their depth, and utilise hydrofoils to convert this movement into forward motion. Underwater gliders are ideal for sampling properties such as temperature and salinity throughout the water column.
AUV Navigation
Autonomous underwater navigation must rely on methods other than GPS, due to the inability of radios to penetrate very far into water. While the vehicle may surface from time to time in order to gain GPS fixes, this data must be supplemented by other technologies. Marine INS (Inertial Navigation Systems) can be used to gain position, acceleration, and velocity estimates, the accuracy of which can be improved with a Doppler Velocity Log, a device similar to sonar which measures the rate of travel over the sea floor. Depth can be measured using a pressure sensor.
NemoSens Micro AUV by RTSYS
AUV Sensors & Payloads
AUVs can carry a wide variety of underwater sensors and payloads that allow them to gather data and map the subsurface environment. These may include side scan sonars, single and multi-beam sonars, magnetometers, hydrophones and chemical sensors. Due to the inability to send or receive electromagnetic signals when submerged, data is stored onboard for later retrieval.
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Teledyne Marine has struck an agreement with Sweden’s FMV to supply GAVIA AUVs for mine countermeasure operations, enhancing seabed mapping and naval capabilities
Tiburon Subsea and Ocean Floor Geophysics (OFG) are collaborating to integrate OFG's advanced geophysical systems into Tiburon's AUV designs, enhancing capabilities for subsea survey and inspection
ecoSUB showcased its Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and appointed a new distributor to cover the Canadian market at Oceans 2024 in Halifax, Nova Scotia
The 2024 Teledyne Marine Photo Contest winners have been selected across five its categories: Grand Prize, Best Data, Underwater, Adversity, and Moment of Zen
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