A brief animation showing a glider during underwater operations. (Animation by Tim Silva, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)
A video showing deployment and recovery of the Spray glider. (Video by Matt Barton, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)
Gliders are winged, low-power autonomous underwater vehicles that generate forward thrust by changing their buoyancy and glide angle to repeatedly dive and surface through the water. They can carry a variety of sensors, and are often used to carry out missions up to six months long. Gliders are used to take vertical profiles of data, giving scientists a clearer understanding of how temperature, salinity, and turbidity of specific areas of the oceans change over time in order to gain a better understanding of the role the ocean plays in global climate.
Gliders are winged, low-power autonomous underwater vehicles that generate forward thrust by changing their buoyancy and glide angle to repeatedly dive and surface through the water. They can carry a variety of sensors, and are often used to carry out missions up to six months long. Gliders are used to take vertical profiles of data, giving scientists a clearer understanding of how temperature, salinity, and turbidity of specific areas of the oceans change over time in order to gain a better understanding of the role the ocean plays in global climate.
Length | 1.5m (4.9 feet) |
Diameter | 22cm (8.7 inches) |
Wingspan | 1.2m (3.9 feet) |
Weight | 60kg (132.2 pounds) |
Maximum Depth | 1000m (3,281 feet) |
Endurance | Up to 12 months |
Velocity | .35m/s (0.7 knots) |
Length | 2m (6.6 ft.) |
Diameter | 20cm (7.9 inches) |
Wingspan | 1.2 m (3.9 feet) |
Weight | 52kg (115 pounds) |
Maximum Depth | 1,500m (4,921 feet) |
Endurance | Up to 6 months; 4,700km (2,920 miles) |
Velocity | 0.1m/s (0.2 knots) |