Explorers often use a small boat to attach a line or cable to the AUV. In this sea-test, they used a ridge-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB), which is a hard-bottomed boat with inflated rubber sides. Once the AUV is secure, they tow it over to the support ship to hook the AUV to the crane and lift out of the water.
 Attaching a Line
Image courtesy of Thunder Bay 2010 Expedition, NOAA-OER. Download larger version (jpg, 179 KB).

Explorers often use a small boat to attach a line or cable to the AUV. In this sea-test, they used a ridge-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB), which is a hard-bottomed boat with inflated rubber sides. Once the AUV is secure, they tow it over to the support ship to hook the AUV to the crane and lift out of the water.

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