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.
drones & ROVs
Underwater Gliders Find Swirling Vortices of Warm, Salty Water
Vortices formed off the west coast of Sardinia could play a large role in Mediterranean water circulation and mixing and are significant for marine ecosystems and regional climate.
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.
Underwater Robot Tracked Ocean Sediment During Hurricane Sandy
Hurricane Sandy moved a lot of debris, but where did it all end up?
Human and Robotic Missions: To the Moon Again and Beyond
Robotic probes could help us collect samples from the Moon, potentially revealing the origins of our solar system.
How Robotic Probes Helped Humans Explore the Moon—And May Again
Robotic probes—including Ranger VIII, launched 50 years ago this week—paved the way for humankind’s giant leap to the Moon. This history may help guide future plans for lunar exploration.
Robot Explores Under-Ice Habitats in the Arctic
The Nereid Under Ice vehicle is helping scientists to explore regions under Arctic sea ice and the biological phenomena that are present there.
NOAA Research Vessel Explores Atlantic Ocean Seamounts
NOAA’s Okeanos Explorer and two remotely operated vehicles help scientists investigate creatures, habitat, and geology on and near New England seamounts.
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.