Underwater Robots

The Deep Ocean is the last unexplored region on Earth. It is crucial to maintaining life on Earth, yet, we know more about the moon and solar system than we do about this environment on our own planet. Exploring the ocean depths is as challenging and demanding as the exploration of outer space. The systems and tools are just as complex. Over the last fifty years, manned vehicles and unmanned robots have been developed for scientific investigations and development of undersea resources. This lecture will look at the origins of deep-sea exploration and introduce you to manned submersibles, autonomous underwater drones, and remotely operated vehicles that descend to the deepest spots in the ocean.

Peter Ranelli, Ph.D., has more than 40 years of experience in oceanography and meteorology. He completed a 25-year career in the U.S. Navy, specializing in operational oceanography and meteorology, retiring with the rank of captain. He has extensive experience in underwater systems including autonomous robotic vehicles, underwater acoustics as applied to anti-submarine warfare and communications, physical oceanography and meteorology, oceanographic instrumentation and operational environmental support. He served as the battle group oceanographer for the USS New Jersey (BB-62), the fleet oceanographer for the U.S. Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea and deputy director of ocean and atmospheric sciences at the Naval Research Laboratory. After leaving the Navy, he was the head of applied research at the NATO Undersea Research Centre in Italy. Peter has a master’s degree with distinction in meteorology and oceanography from the Naval Postgraduate School and was awarded a secretary of the Navy fellowship to earn a Ph.D. in oceanography from Dartmouth College.