Marine robot completes trans-Pacific journey to set new world record

US-based Liquid Robotics, an ocean data service provider and developer of the Wave Glider, today announced that the first Pacific Crossing (PacX) Wave Glider, ‘Papa Mau’, has completed its 9000 nautical mile (16,668 km) scientific journey across the Pacific Ocean to set a new world record for the longest distance travelled by an autonomous vehicle.

Throughout the journey, Papa Mau navigated along a prescribed route under autonomous control, collecting and transmitting unprecedented amounts of high-resolution ocean data never before available over these vast distances or time frames.

Wave Glider view from underneath coast.

The company is providing open access to this data as part of its PacX Challenge, a global competition seeking new ocean applications and research using the PacX data set. Today, the company announced the five PacX Challenge finalists.

During Papa Mau’s journey, it weathered gale force storms, fended off sharks, spent more than 365 days at sea, skirted around the Great Barrier Reef, and finally battled and surfed the East Australian Current to reach its final destination in Hervey Bay near Bundaberg, Queensland.

The robot travelled through and measured over 1900 km of a chlorophyll bloom along the Equatorial Pacific. These blooms indicate proliferation of phytoplankton that is fundamental to ocean life and climate regulation.

While typically monitored through satellite imagery, direct validation of chlorophyll blooms at this resolution provides a groundbreaking link between scientific modelling and in-situ measurement of the Pacific Ocean.

“To say we are excited and proud of Papa Mau reaching his final destination is an understatement,” said Bill Vass, CEO of Liquid Robotics.

“We set off on the PacX journey to demonstrate that Wave Glider technology could not only survive the high seas and a journey of this length, but more importantly, collect and transmit ocean data in real time from the most remote portions of the Pacific Ocean. We’ve demonstrated delivery of ocean data services through the most challenging ocean conditions. Mission accomplished.”

An important aspect of the PacX program is the PacX Challenge, a competition designed to encourage scientists and students to make use of the PacX data in interesting, productive or innovative ways. Research abstracts were submitted from around the world to compete for the grand prize award of a $50,000 research grant from BP and six months of Wave Glider data services.

“Liquid Robotics is proud to announce the PacX Science Board has selected five outstanding finalists to compete for the PacX grand prize,” said Luke Beatman, Oceanographer at Liquid Robotics and chairman of the PacX Science Board.

Papa Mau’s arrival in Australia will be followed by a second robot, named Benjamin, expected to land in early 2013. Two others are heading for Japan.

In Australia, the Wave Glider is distributed and supported in Australia by UVS, which has a long history of ocean engineering. “UVS  was on hand to recover the record-breaking Papa Mau Wave Glider, to conclude the successful trans-Pacific voyage from San Francisco to the east coast of Australia,” said Neil Trenaman of UVS.

“UVS has always been at the forefront of introducing new and innovative technologies to the region and the Liquid Robotics Wave Glider is a perfect example of this philosophy.”