AUVs: designing and operating next generation vehicles

Over the last decade Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) have become capable marine platforms. AUVs built in Europe are now operational tools in the global offshore business. Industry has seen significant cost savings from this new technology. Data quality has improved to the point where some customers in the offshore industry now prefer not to use shipboard systems. But what of AUVs for operational oceanography? Is the successful collaboration between research and industry in the offshore business a transferable model? This paper examines AUVs in scenarios relevant to EuroGOOS against the capabilities of existing technologies and those under development.