The Oceanic Observatory of Madeira (OOM) will unveil two new autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) tomorrow at 12:00 at its Operational Centre in São Lázaro, Funchal Marina. The vehicles were acquired through an investment of approximately €6 million, financed by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR).
Developed by the UK's National Oceanography Centre (NOC), the equipment arrived in Madeira on June 16th and is currently in the final phase of testing. Researchers and technicians will oversee system integration and receive specialized training in the coming weeks.
The first vehicle can operate at depths up to 1,500 metres with over 20 days of autonomy, making it suitable for environmental and ecological monitoring. The second vehicle is designed for depths up to 6,000 metres with over 24 hours of autonomy, intended for high-resolution seabed mapping.
