From the bottom of acid lakes to up in the sky, autonomous vehicles are changing the way scientists view and study Earth.
drones & AUVs
Posted inScience Updates
Drone Peers into Open Volcanic Vents
An unmanned aerial vehicle provided the high-resolution data that allowed scientists to construct their first detailed map of erupting vents at Stromboli, one of the world’s most active volcanoes.
Posted inScience Updates
An Autonomous Boat to Investigate Acidic Crater Lakes
A novel aquatic drone ventured into highly acidic waters to test the feasibility of remotely exploring and surveying hazardous volcanic lakes.
Posted inScience Updates
Unmanned Platforms Monitor the Arctic Atmosphere
In the Arctic, drones and tethered balloons can make crucial atmospheric measurements to provide a unique perspective on an environment particularly vulnerable to climate change.
Posted inScience Updates
Drones in a Cold Climate
As climate change reshapes the Earth's polar regions, scientists turn to drone-mounted cameras to measure sea ice. One expedition found out that flying drones near Antarctica isn't easy.
Posted inNews
Autonomous Undersea Technologies to Vie for New XPRIZE
The competition aims at improved health and understanding of Earth's oceans by spurring teams to devise better robotic technologies for seafloor mapping and exploration.
Posted inScience Updates
Drone Squadron to Take Earth Monitoring to New Heights
Scientists will soon be able to call on a community fleet of unmanned aircraft systems to perform environmental studies.
Posted inFeatures
Fifty Years of Deep Ocean Exploration With the DSV Alvin
In June 2014, the Deep Submergence Vehicle (DSV) Alvin, the world’s first deep-diving sub-marine dedicated to scientific research in the United States, celebrated its 50th anniversary.