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3h ago

Autonomous Underwater Glider Redwing Begins Bid to Circle the Globe

Over five years, the 73,000-kilometer mission will collect continuous measurements to improve ocean and climate understanding.

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Robotic underwater vehicle.
In A World First, Autonomous Underwater Robot Sets Off On Mission To Circumnavigate The Globe
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Overview

  • Teledyne Marine and Rutgers University have set the Slocum Sentinel glider Redwing on a multi-year voyage that aims to be the first autonomous underwater circumnavigation.
  • Reports differ on immediate launch details, citing an Oct. 10–11 departure from Massachusetts with accounts naming either Woods Hole or Martha’s Vineyard.
  • Following a Magellan-like route, planned stops include Gran Canaria, Cape Town, Western Australia, New Zealand and the Falkland Islands, with possible pauses in Brazil and the Caribbean before returning to Cape Cod.
  • Redwing travels primarily by adjusting buoyancy, surfaces every 8–12 hours to send data via satellite, receives twice-daily course updates, and is expected to need a mid-mission battery swap.
  • Sensors will record temperature, salinity and currents for climate and weather research, with risks noted from fishing gear, shipping, biofouling and sharks; data will be shared widely and used in student-led tracking and coursework.