SAMS news room

An Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) based at SAMS is the first to be deployed from the UK’s newest scientific research vessel, the RRS Sir David Attenborough.

The Teledyne Gavia Offshore Surveyor, named Freya, was deployed from the ship’s workboat Erebus as part of the latest phase of trials. The AUV is being tested to prepare it for mapping the seabed around Greenland as part of the ship’s first Arctic science research in 2024.

The Gavia, which was previously deployed from RRS James Clark Ross, can navigate up to depths of 500m, and is used to map the seafloor, as well as collecting information about the ocean.

AUVs are robotic submarines, used to explore the world’s oceans without direct control from the ship. They usually travel along a pre-programmed path to survey locations that would otherwise be impossible to reach, such as under the ice and in front of calving glaciers. 

Professor John Howe, a marine geologist at SAMS, said: “Robots are helping to transform our understanding of the oceans and it is such an honour to be involved in the first AUV deployment from this iconic ship.

“This particular AUV is going to play a key role in the ship’s first Arctic science mission in 2024 where it will help us understand how our warming oceans are affecting Greenland’s glaciers.”

RRS Sir David Attenborough is designed to act as a central platform for deploying and operating a range of state-of-the-art autonomous and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) in the polar regions. By sending submersibles to collect data, the ship can also reduce its carbon emissions.

Trialling with the Gavia is also giving researchers an opportunity to put Erebus, the SDA’s 10-metre workboat, through its paces. The boat is also undergoing trials, with the team testing new and upgraded equipment and deploying instruments, such as Gavia, over the side of the boat. Scientists will use Erebus to conduct research in shallow, inshore waters where the SDA is too large to go.

Gavia is part of the UK robotic fleet and is managed by SAMS on behalf of the Natural Environment Research Council.

Find out more about marine robotics at SAMS and the RRS Sir David Attenborough.