Fleet of Wave Gliders Delivered to the Japan Coast Guard

Liquid Robotics and HSD will assist the Japan Coast Guard in deploying eight Wave Gliders for providing autonomous observation and situational awareness of ocean currents, wave activity and weather along Japan’s coastlines. According to Liquid Robotics, this is the first ocean observation network in Japan’s history that will provide comprehensive and economical monitoring of Japan’s ocean conditions. 

Wave Gliders are long-duration, environmentally friendly ocean robots that collect and communicate real-time ocean data without using fuel. This is the largest fleet deployment of Wave Gliders in Japan. Data collected by the fleet of Wave Gliders will provide real-time information for the Japan Coast Guard’s operational use. Missions by four of the JCG Regional Branches are planned imminently.

Liquid Robotics president and chief executive officer Gary Gysin said his company will help the Japan Coast Guard “protect their coastal environments and populations against natural emergencies and to enhance their understanding of their coastal seas.”

“Together with HSD, we will partner to bring real-time, actionable intelligence to help the Japan Coast Guard safeguard their seas,” Gysin said. 

With support from Liquid Robotics, HSD has led customer missions ranging from typhoon tracking, to tsunami detection, to general oceanographic studies using Wave Gliders. The Wave Glider returned excellent results and recorded long-term, time-series data information that was not possible with ships. This data has led to a better understanding of the environmental conditions in and around Japan with improved national-level safety and disaster resilience.