Ernest Shackleton, Amelia Earhart, Jacques Cousteau, James Cook and Ferdinand Magellan are just some of the names we associate with epic ocean voyages, journeys of discovery that have shaped our understanding of the world. Now there is a new candidate to join that list, although with a significant twist: Redwing, an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) that aims to circumnavigate the planet like Magellan once did. Its mission is to gather crucial data about the marine environment along the way.

The new autonomous robot, measuring two and a half metres and weighing 171 kilograms, is the result of a collaboration between Rutgers University and the ocean exploration company Teledyne Marine, which have created this prototype for scientific purposes.

Named Redwing, an acronym for Research and Education Doug Webb Inter-National Glider, it set off on its journey in October 2025. As part of the Sentinel mission, it’ll travel 73,000 kilometres following the route taken by Magellan between 1519 and 1522. In other words, it’ll pass through Gran Canaria, New Zealand, the Falkland Islands and possibly Brazil before returning to Cape Cod in the United States.Throughout its journey, the underwater robot will record salinity, temperature and depth using a series of sensors to improve our understanding of the ocean and climate change.

The information, which will help predict hurricanes, heatwaves and changes in marine life, will be sent via satellite at intervals of approximately eight to twelve hours. Redwing also incorporates a fish and animal tracker with electronic tags. Among those responsible for monitoring the mission are fifty Rutgers University students enrolled in an ocean research course.

On board equipment includes:

• CTD sensor (conductivity, temperature, depth/density)
• Altimeter to avoid collisions with the seabed
• Attitude sensors and a compass for navigation
• GPS and satellite communications
• Marine wildlife monitor developed with Dalhousie University

Redwing is an electric vehicle, but it doesn’t have traditional propellers or thrusters. It’s a glider vehicle, which uses a highly energy-efficient technique.

Essentially, it uses an electric motor that presses a hydraulic piston to make the vehicle denser than water. This is achieved by filling an external bladder with oil, which increases the volume of the vehicle so that it gradually sinks at an open angle.

When it reaches a depth of approximately 1,000 metres, the piston is retracted and the vehicle regains buoyancy and ascends again, tracing a saw-tooth trajectory. Like any good marine explorer, it will also leverage ocean currents to move more efficiently using inertial navigation.

Along with the work carried out by American researchers, there are many autonomous robots that are expanding our knowledge of the marine environment, whether in the field of underwater archaeology, oceanographic research or environmental studies. 

1. Sentry. This vehicle, used by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, which has also supported the Sentinel mission, is capable of descending to a depth of around 6,000 metres to accurately map and study the ocean floor. It operates without a continuous connection to the ship, allowing it to undertake long missions in complex terrain such as ocean ridges and hydrothermal vents. It’s equipped with advanced sensors for 3D mapping, sampling and high-resolution photography.
2. Jason. This is another vehicle from the same institution designed to carry out prolonged research at great depths. Unlike Sentry, it’s connected to a mother ship by a cable, transmitting video and data in real time while operating tools and taking samples from the seabed. It has participated in key expeditions on submarine volcanism, biodiversity and archaeology.
3. Argo. More than an individual robot, it’s a global infrastructure made up of thousands of autonomous floating robots that continuously monitor the state of the oceans. Each robot descends to a depth of 2,000 metres and collects information on temperature and salinity before transmitting it via satellite. This observation network provides systematic, large-scale data on ocean circulation and climate change.
4. Boaty McBoatface. This is a long-range autonomous underwater vehicle operated by the British Antarctic Survey to investigate the most remote and coldest regions of the planet. Designed to work without constant contact with a mother ship, it travels long distances under the Antarctic ice to study deep currents and processes linked to global warming. Its comical name was decided by popular vote. 

On land, the use of autonomous robots in rescue or infrastructure monitoring tasks is becoming increasingly common. One of the most representative examples is Boston Dynamics’ “robot dog”, which is being used to map tunnels and dangerous areas, among other applications. These are versatile machines that can be equipped with all kinds of lidar sensors, cameras or wireless communication systems. Without a doubt, the combination of robotics and artificial intelligence promises rapid evolution in the coming years, as discussed in this article.

Sources:

• New Scientist
• NDSF
• University of California San Diego