The Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) at the University of Washington has deployed Seaglider technology on various missions and it proved to be a very efficient device for places where people don’t want to go due to extremely harsh weather conditions, distances or other obstacles.

APL-UW Principal Oceanographer Craig Lee explains in the following video the advantages of the Seaglider, its functioning along with the discoveries and accomplishments the device has made possible.

Seaglider vehicle was first developed for oceanographic research — taking measurements of conductivity or equivalent salinity, temperature, phytoplankton concentration, oxygen concentration, etc.

In May 2013, UW’s Center for Commercialization licensed the manufacture of Seagliders to Kongsberg Underwater Technology, Inc., granting them sole rights to produce, market, and continue the development of Seaglider technology.

Seaglider™ is an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) or underwater glider developed for continuous, long term measurement of oceanographic parameters. Rather than an electrically driven propeller, the vehicle uses small changes in buoyancy and wings to achieve forward motion.

It is a data collection tool that can be deployed for months at a time rather than the hours or days associated with traditional AUV systems.

While its top speed is low, the vehicle’s extremely long endurance allows it to traverse thousands of kilometers in a single deployment. The vehicle is relatively small and lightweight, enabling deployment via small vessels of opportunity.

Subsea World News Staff, December 25, 2013