MIT Researchers Reveal "Ammonia-Aluminum" Fuel for Prolonged Ocean Exploration
A new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has introduced a transformative chemical fuel system that could redefine buoyancy control for long-range autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).Published in Cell Reports Physical Science, the research demonstrates that reacting activated aluminum with aqueous ammonia significantly enhances gas generation and energy density compared to traditional aluminum-water chemistry.This breakthrough provides a viable path for extending mission duration and reducing costs for underwater platforms that currently rely on lower-energy-density lithium-ion
On-Demand Ocean Bottom Node: A New Era in Deepwater Seismic Monitoring
Shell Brasil, Petrobras, Sonardyne, and SENAI CIMATEC are developing autonomous technology that transforms how Brazil's challenging pre-salt fields are monitored. Now entering a major pilot array phase, the On-Demand Ocean Bottom Node (OD OBN) program promises efficient, cost-effective 4D seismic surveillance, with fewer people and lower environmental impact. This milestone marks a step closer to a fundamental shift in deepwater reservoir management.The ChallengeBrazil’s pre-salt reservoirs lie in more than 2,000m water depth, plus another 3,000m beneath the seabed, making seismic imaging
OMS Group Acquires Second Exail DriX O-16 for Subsea Cable Installation
OMS Group and Exail announced the acquisition of a second Exail DriX O-16 Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV), accelerating OMS Group’s deployment of autonomous survey capabilities to support the growing demand for subsea cable infrastructure worldwide.The first DriX O-16, purchased last year and to be named USV Elite, is scheduled to be launched in mid-2026. Together, the two vessels will support subsea cable installation campaigns globally, performing seabed surveys, route verification, and monitoring for critical telecommunications cable infrastructure.With an operational endurance of up to 30 days
Sonardyne Navigation Selected by Njord Survey for ecoSUB AUVs
Swedish innovator Njord Survey has chosen Sonardyne navigation technology for its ecoSUB Robotics autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to transform subsea survey operations. Using Sonardyne’s smallest navigator, SPRINT-Nav U, on ecoSUB’s low-logistics AUVs, Njord Survey is targeting at-scale survey operations, starting with UXO surveys. Underpinned by accurate navigation, deployment at scale will enable parallel operations, reducing vessel dependency, logistics, cost and time for these types of
IQUA Robotics Successful Proves Use of AUV for Autonomous Ship Hull Inspection
The ESCABVENTS project, developed by the company IQUA Robotics in collaboration with the Zamakona Yards shipyard, has successfully concluded its proof of concept tests, demonstrating the viability of using Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) for naval inspection tasks. This initiative, integrated into the Sail2future project, seeks to improve efficiency and safety in the preventive maintenance of vessels. The project has been funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU through the PERTE NAVAL aid managed by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, within the Recovery
Automatic docking as an enabling technology for the operational autonomy of underwater systems
For a long time, the operational autonomy of underwater systems has been constrained by the inability to ensure persistent operations without direct human intervention. Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), while capable of carrying out pre-programmed missions along the water column or on the seabed, have historically required physical recovery at the end of each operational cycle for energy recharging, data transfer and mission reconfiguration.This dependence on surface operations has represented one of the main bottlenecks in the development of long-term marine observation infrastructures, significan
Rising expectations: A deep dive on underwater vehicles
Underwater vehicles have solidified their position, with autonomous and remotely operated platforms becoming core operational tools across offshore, defense, inspection and maintenance, exploration and marine science applications. As the subsea industry rapidly evolves to keep pace with global trends, several defining themes emerge amongst leading vehicle companies—multi-use, usability, visibility, endurance and, unsurprisingly, autonomy.Multi-UseAs underwater vehicles assume more responsibility, there is a noticeable shift away from standalone, single-domain vehicles in favor of fleets of
Kongsberg Discovery Expands Multibeam Echosounder Portfolio
subsea vehicles and naval operations.The new EM2042 DR600 and EM2042 BNS build on the existing EM2042 platform and its next-generation acoustic architecture, targeting deepwater unmanned platforms and defense environments, respectively.The EM2042 DR600 is engineered for underwater vehicles including autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), remotely operated towed vehicles (ROTVs) and submarines. The system is depth-rated to 600 meters, featuring a pressure-resistant titanium housing and subsea-qualified electronics.It retains the performance of the standard EM2042 while
Kongsberg Discovery Upgrades Kongsberg Listen Electromagnetic Sensor
on integrating the technology into its existing portfolio while accelerating innovation.The upgraded platform-agnostic system is now positioned for applications across ocean science, defence, energy and minerals sectors. It has already been integrated and operated on Kongsberg’s HUGIN family of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), where it has been used in commercial surveys, and is now being rolled out commercially. The system will make its trade show debut under the Kongsberg Listen name at Oceanology International in London next month.“Argeo Listen was already a world leading passive
February 2026
