7 Platform one The University of Southampton is working with ecoSUB Robotics on an autonomous underwater sampler, writes Nick Flaherty. The sampler collects discrete volumes of water at depth for later analysis using the ecoSUB range of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). This gives marine researchers the ability to retrieve water up to 2500 m below the surface without the need for human interaction. The sampler is available in multiple configurations and can be integrated with any of the ecoSUB Robotics systems, including the ecoSUBµ5 Micro-AUV. Traditional underwater data collection has relied heavily on the manual gathering of samples that are taken to laboratories for analysis. This is manually intensive and often requires the use of expensive ships when operating at sea. The water sampler overcomes this limitation by designing a sensor that fits into the smallest AUV to retrieve samples without manual intervention. The ecoSUBμ5 Micro-AUV measures 660 mm long and 111 mm in diameter. Designed as a cylinder with no protrusions, it is easy to launch and recover. Weighing 4 kg, it has a range of 40 km and 12 hours on its alkaline batteries. It has a 250 mm antenna for satellite and wi-fi connections when on the surface, and it also has an acoustic nano-modem to take part in underwater communication networks. The sampler is integrated with the ecoSUB AUV to collect discrete water samples at predetermined points and then it uses optical sensors to measure trace concentrations of methane, with plans for measuring carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. The sampler was tested in the lab at Southampton to assess fieldworthiness and potential improvements, with local deployments to trial and validate the technology. The system will be deployed with an ecoSUB AUV on a mission to the Arctic to monitor marine terminating glaciers and sea ice where ice fall is a risk. “This is a significant step forward, giving researchers, regulators and industry a new tool to quantify water quality,” said Dr Adrian Nightingale of the School of Engineering at the University of Southampton, who oversaw the research. “It strengthens a productive relationship between the university and marine business, and is part of a wider move to increase marine autonomy for smarter, cost-effective and less carbon-intensive environmental science.” Sensing A water sampler deployed in an AUV (Image courtesy of ecoSUB) Uncrewed Systems Technology | December/January 2025 Water sampler can plunge to depths of 2500 m
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