Technology Launch the drones!

[surge]

http://techcrunch.com/2015/09/23/hy...d-solve-our-ignorance-of-the-oceans/?ncid=rss

The earth consists of 70% ocean and 30% land. And yet, famously, we know more about the surface of the moon than what lies beneath the waves, because only 5% of the world’s oceans have been explored. This, despite the fact that 95% of the world’s life, energy and resources lies in the sea.


Currently our way of exploring this is by loading a bunch of electronics into something resembling a torpedo (an AUV) which must then explore the vast ocean ranges in a pretty solitary manner. These AUVs are deployed to monitor oil spills and do environmental monitoring, but are pretty expensive, lumbering things which don’t have much intelligence.


What would be much smarter would be a swarm of small, autonomous underwater drones that could live almost constantly underwater, roaming the oceans and performing all these duties practically all the time. Like an Internet of Things for the oceans.
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What's down there? Maybe we will have a better idea in the not-too-distant future!

 

[Debi]

OK, now this is kinda cool......useful drones....

 

[Firek]

Hmm... think we'll have an uptick in the number of oil spills we find out about if we have more eyes spread around the ocean? I've always been suspicious that a lot of offshore commercial disasters get covered up by the companies that cause them.

 

[Mokey]

Hmm... think we'll have an uptick in the number of oil spills we find out about if we have more eyes spread around the ocean? I've always been suspicious that a lot of offshore commercial disasters get covered up by the companies that cause them.

A suspicious mind is a good quality to own. It gets many truths revealed. As for the drones, I think it's a great way to use them. Maybe they can finally find the Loch Ness Monster!

 

[Debi]

Maybe they can finally find the Loch Ness Monster!

YES!!! That would be a great plan!!!

 

[Mokey]

YES!!! That would be a great plan!!!

If they can't find that thing with a bunch of drones, then I think it's time to just give up the search.

 

[Grinchesbro]

A suspicious mind is a good quality to own. It gets many truths revealed. As for the drones, I think it's a great way to use them. Maybe they can finally find the Loch Ness Monster!

We may find him floating on the surface after he chokes to death on one of these things ,but I hope not .

 

[Mokey]

We may find him floating on the surface after he chokes to death on one of these things ,but I hope not .

Now wouldn't that be a shame. Lived all these long years and we end up killing him with technology. Hopefully he doesn't have a taste for metallic and plastic objects.

 

[Derek]

I'm all for the new discoveries that these drones will find, but why not use the millions of Dollars it cost to build them and clean up the Pacific Ocean garbage patch first.

 

[Debi]

I'm all for the new discoveries that these drones will find, but why not use the millions of Dollars it cost to build them and clean up the Pacific Ocean garbage patch first.

That is an EXCELLENT suggestion!!! What a horrible mess that is out there!