It has been two years since we last ran this survey and it is encouraging to witness the positive impact that AUVs have made to mine countermeasures in very shallow-waters and deepwater offshore oil & gas surveys. Both of these communities now look to AUVs first. The scientific community has also embraced  the use of AUVs, equipping them with different payload sensors that assist them in understanding the underwater environment.

And as a growing industry, new uses have emerged since our last survey, including very shallow-water surveys and inspections for oil and gas applications which complement standard methods used to date, such as towed platforms and Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV).

This progress has resulted in an increased offering and a larger selection of AUV manufacturers. However, I believe that more is still to come; a number of key industry players have announced the development of hover-capable AUVs that react to the environment, with planned introduction to the market as early as 2012. I certainly look forward to what our next survey will reveal.

By Ioseba Tena, Seebyte, UK