December 16, 2020: Piloting the ROV

Todd Gregory with the Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration co-pilots as remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer (D2) reaches 6,000 meters (3.7 miles) while exploring the Puerto Rico Trench during the Oceano Profundo 2015: Exploring Puerto Rico’s Seamounts, Trenches, and Troughs expedition. This marked the first time that D2 had reached this depth, which is the maximum depth that the vehicle can dive.

Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Exploring Puerto Rico’s Seamounts, Trenches, and Troughs. Download larger version (jpg, 1.5 MB).

Todd Gregory with the Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration co-pilots as remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer (D2) reaches 6,000 meters (3.7 miles) while exploring the Puerto Rico Trench during the Océano Profundo 2015: Exploring Puerto Rico’s Seamounts, Trenches, and Troughs expedition. This marked the first time that D2 had reached this depth, which is the maximum depth that the vehicle can dive.

From delivering stunning high-definition video and gathering physical data about surrounding waters to allowing the collection of biological and geological samples, Deep Discoverer is delivering data needed by scientists to better understand an underwater ecosystem in its entirety, meaning we can make better decisions about an area's management as well as its protection.