Pacific Research Laboratories collaborated with University of Washington’s Oceanography department to fabricate the exterior housing for Seaglider, an autonomous underwater seafaring research submarine deployed internationally.
Pacific Research Labs Role
PRL worked with APL-US to design and manufacture the fairing and housings for Seaglider.
About Seaglider
Seagliders fly through the water with extremely modest energy requirements using changes in buoyancy for thrust coupled with a stable, low-drag, hydrodynamic shape. Designed to operate at depths up to 1000 meters, the hull compresses as it sinks, matching the compressibility of seawater.
The AUV Seaglider is the result of a collaborative effort between APL-UW and the UW School of Oceanography. These small, free-swimming vehicles can gather conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) data from the ocean for months at a time and transmit it to shore in near-real time via satellite data telemetry.
Seagliders make oceanographic measurements traditionally collected by research vessels or moored instruments, but at a fraction of the cost. They can survey along a transect, profile at a fixed location, and can be commanded to alter their sampling strategies throughout a mission.
Commercial Sales
If interested in this product, visit: Kongsberg Underwater Technologies, Inc. (KUTI)