Navy Uses Underwater Robots to Predict Ocean Currents

Navy Uses Underwater Robots to Predict Ocean Currents

100324-N-5060D-003 ATLANTIC OCEAN (March 24, 2010) Danielle Bryant, right, an oceanographer from the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO), establishes a satellite connection to the Glider Operations Center at NAVOCEANO before launching the seaglider unmanned underwater vessel from the Military Sealift Command oceanographic survey ship USNS Henson (T-AGS 63). The vessel is designed to collect physical oceanography data in deep water. Henson is underway off the coast of Fortaleza, Brazil for Oceanographic-Southern Partnership Station 2010 conducting survey demonstrations with the Brazilian Directorate of Hydrograph and Navigation. Oceanographic-Southern Partnership Station is an oceanographic surveying and information exchange program between subject matter experts with partner nations in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Lily Daniels/Released)

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Ocean gliders are autonomous underwater vehicles used to collect oceanographic data to better understand the ocean. The US navy uses them to plan its underwater activities.

Recently, a Slocum G2 US Navy glider was reportedly seized and returned by China in the waters of the Western Pacific. The US has approximately 130 of these gliders and they are relatively inexpensive, according to Rear Adm. Tim Gallaudet, Oceanographer of the Navy and commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, in his blog on navylive.dodlive.mil. “The U.S. Navy will not only continue to use these technologies to improve our knowledge of the oceans, but we will be significantly increasing our use of gliders over the coming years so that our understanding of the ocean is the best in the world,” he writes.

“These underwater robots allow us to explore more of the ocean, and faster, at a fraction of the cost of a manned submersible or a ship. The information gathered allows us to better predict ocean currents, density, sea states and tides which the U.S. Navy needs to safely and effectively operate all around the world. Once deployed, a glider can persistently sample the ocean for months freeing the ship to perform other functions.”

Modular in design and buoyancy-driven the gliders can collect oceanographic data for up to four months without the need for active propulsion. The drones are made by Teledyne Webb and are sold commercially, Gallaudet points out.

According to defensesystems.com, from the underwater drone concept’s inception, a priority was given to developing a small, rechargeable and efficient li-on battery as well as the necessary algorithms and display tools to aid in glider deployment and routing for visualization and adaptive sampling. They also need to find low-frequency sound sources for navigation and tomography – a method to display a cross section through a solid object using X-rays or ultrasound.

A Teledyne underwater drone is a nearly 5-foot-long torpedo with wings. It is equipped with a sensor suite. It is driven by buoyancy change, and has no propeller, according to the manufacturer’s website.