Wave Gliders

The Wave Gliders require no manpower, no fuel, and have no emissions. They move by converting ocean waves into motion, with sensory equipment powered by the sun.

The robots have two parts, the Float, which rides on the surface of the water much like a surfboard, and the miniblind-like Sub, or Glider, which is beneath the surface, tethered 22 feet below the Float.

At a production cost of around $250,000, and rental costs of just a few thousand dollars a day, the Wave Gliders are challenging the traditional economics of such data collection and exploration.

Typically, traditional research ships costs around $30,000 to $50,000 per day to operate.