Applications of Sea gliders in ocean observation systems

The robotics world has reached a stage where the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) industry is very well established with thousands upon thousands of ROVs having been created and deployed since the dawn of this industry. The need for autonomy in robots and vehicles, however, is becoming more and more a prevalent issue in many situations and environments worldwide. The ability to communicate between the operator and the vehicle is one of the main factors affecting whether a vehicle is to be designed as an ROV or as an autonomous vehicle. Ocean Observing has become a system for observations, modeling and analysis of marine and ocean parameters that support operational ocean activities such as fisheries, recreational boating, natural hazards warnings, search and rescue operations, and marine operations, as well as scientific inquiry. Through an ocean observing system these diverse user groups can receive accurate descriptions of the present state of the oceans including living resources, continuous forecasts of future sea conditions, and forecast indicators for climate change.