Robot boat maps Pacific underwater volcano

An initial survey of the underwater volcano that erupted in January has been returned by a robot boat.

The caldera of the underwater Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha'apai volcano is mapped by the USV Maxlimer.

The vessel, developed by the British company Sea-Kit International, is surveying the volcano as part of the second phase of the project.

Image source, SEA-KIT/NIWA/Nippon Foundation/SEABED2030

The data collected so far has confirmed previous reports. Instruments can be deployed at depths of 300m in order to collect data from the whole water column.

The Maxlimer is remote controlled from a small coastal village in Essex. Satellite link is used for everything.

Live feed images from the 10 cameras on board Maxlimer can be seen on several large screens in Sea-Kit's headquarters. Operators watch as real-time data is beamed in from the South Pacific.

According to the director of operations at Sea-Kit, the operators can communicate via radio with other vessels in the area so that nobody would know that nobody was on Maxlimer.

From the ground up, the boat has been designed to be remotely controlled and operated. We can control everything from here.

The future of maritime operations is likely to be robotic. No crew are put in danger when surveying a dangerous area with remote control.

Image source, SEA-KIT/NIWA/Nippon Foundation/SEABED2030

Environmental benefits to USVs can be found. Reduced carbon dioxide emissions can be achieved due to the fact that there is no onboard crew.

An equivalent manned vessel would use 5% of the fuel that we use.

There was a huge wave that spread across the Pacific Ocean after the eruption ofHTHH. It was felt as far away as the UK.

Maxlimer is taking a break while some rough weather moves through the area. The boat will head back out to the underwater volcano to fill in the remaining gaps once the conditions improve.

The collected data will help us understand why the eruption had such a violent impact and help predict future eruptions.