The Little Robots that Could: AUV Exploration in the Straits of Sicily

Dive & Dig

Professor Lucy Blue speaks to Dr Lisa Briggs and Dr Peter Campbell from the University of Cranfield who have been searching the deep waters of the Straits of Sicily using micro-AUVs - autonomous underwater vehicles. Deployment of these small, agile vehicles has enabled the team to map large areas of this busy maritime highway of the Mediterranean.
The team aim to locate historic remains and ancient shipwrecks, and have consulted local fisherman for potential targets as they trawl the seabed and often snag remains in their nets, even including statues.
These mini autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) can be deployed in multiples, thus covering large areas of the seabed. They are relatively cheap to purchase and easier to use and programme than larger AUV’s. Fitted with cameras might they become a principal tool not only for maritime archaeology, but also other disciplines such as marine biology. Learn how these vehicles have democratised survey previously limited to researchers with much larger budgets.