Underwater Robots

Background Information

Below you will find a collection of fact sheets, content essays, and stories from our explorers on board underwater robots expeditions featured on the OceanExplorer.NOAA.gov website.

The Challenges of ROV Operations at Sea

The Challenges of ROV Operations at Sea (pdf 1.0 MB)

Exploration Note:Learn more about the decision-making process that the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) team uses to decide when or when not to dive.

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Sampling the Deep Sea

Sampling the Deep Sea (pdf 1.2 MB)

Exploration Note:Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) are important tools for collecting biological specimens and chemical and geological samples from the deep sea.

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Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (pdf 382 KB)

Fact Sheet: Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs are unoccupied, untethered, battery-powered vehicles used to collect data for underwater research.

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Remotely Operated Vehicles

Remotely Operated Vehicles

Fact Sheet: Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) are tethered to and operated from a ship, allowing humans to explore the ocean without actually being in the vehicle.

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Check out our Exploration Tools: Submersibles page for more information on the variety of submersibles NOAA Ocean Exploration uses to explore the deep-sea.

The above items are only a selection of the educational materials highlighting underwater robots on our website.

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