University of Gothenburg to Buy New AUV

The University of Gothenburg will buy a new underwater vehicle to replace Ran, the AUV that was lost under a glacier in Antarctica in 2024.

A large donation means that researchers can plan for new expeditions.

The autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) Ran contributed to groundbreaking research, education and technological development for six years. 

The most groundbreaking results were achieved during risky missions under the floating glaciers of Antarctica. It was also during one such mission that Ran was lost in January 2024.

“Thanks to Ran, we became the first researchers in the world to enter under the Thwaites glacier, which in part lies in the sea. Although satellite data shows melting and movement in the ice, we were able to obtain close-up images of the underside of the ice and information about the exact mechanisms behind the melting,” says Anna Wåhlin, professor of oceanography, who led the expedition with Ran in Antarctica.

With a generous donation from the Voice of the Ocean Foundation (VOTO) and funds from insurance, the University of Gothenburg are able to buy a new AUV from Kongsberg AS, with delivery expected in winter 2026/2027. The new vehicle, named Ran II, will have the same capacity as Ran, but will be equipped with more robust decision support for emergencies and improved navigation. The upgrades will enhance both safety and precision in hard-to-reach environments such as under glaciers, under sea ice and near the seabed.

This is a particularly dynamic time for autonomous underwater vehicles, says the university. Rapid advances in AI are opening up new tools for interpreting large, high-resolution data sets and for improved navigation and mission planning. The capacity built up in Sweden over the past decade has laid the foundation for strong international cooperation, which can now be further developed through this initiative.