Facilities - Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles at WHOI

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are untethered, generally small, and intelligent roving robots that represent the new up and coming technology in deep ocean research. The Autonomous Benthic Explorer (ABE) developed here at WHOI has been used for over ten years now in deep ocean research on a reliable basis. ABE carries a full complement of sensors for seafloor mapping (including a full swath bathymetry system, scanning sonar and subbottom chirp sonar), a three-axis magnetic field sensor, hydrothermal vent plume detection sensors as well as video cameras for optical imaging. ABE is unique among the AUV class of vehicle in that it is a hover-style vehicle, capable of staying put in one place and maneuvering with great agility and precision. A new AUV based on the ABE design concept is now in the last phase of development at WHOI called Sentry.

Links to various AUV programs

• WHOI Autonomous Benthic Explorer (ABE)
• WHOI SeaBeD
• WHOI REMUS
• MIT SeaGrant AUV Lab
• Florida Atlantic Univ. Ocean Explorer/Voyager

Links to our science programs using AUVs

• MANUS 2006 Manus Basin, Papua New Guinea
• KANE 2004 Mid-Atlantic Ridge Megamullion
• ABE 2002 Explorer Ridge
• ABE 2001 East Pacific Rise 9 N
• ABE 1996 surveys : CoAxial ridge Juan de Fuca
• ABE Zeromag surveys 1996
• ABE 1995 surveys : CoAxial ridge Juan de Fuca

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Last revised: 2007/5/1