Wave Glider
![Men in hardhats and orange outfits stand on a boat holding onto white strings that are attached to long board-like robot covered in solar panels and multiple masts, which sits in the water.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/7p2whiua/production/268dca3a204480d5a842b528a9b9207ac50e721a-2048x1536.jpg?w=900&auto=format)
The Wave Glider is an autonomous marine robot designed to gather ocean data. It uses the energy of the waves for propulsion and solar panels to generate power for on-board computing and sensors.
- Creator
- Year
- 2007
- Country
- United States 🇺🇸
- Categories
- Features
More videos
Did you know?
Wave Glider began as a project listening to humpback whales in real-time off the coast of Hawaii.
![Underwater view of panels attached to a rope hanging from board-like silhouette in the distance. The part in the water has six long horizontal fins on a vertical base.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/7p2whiua/production/5bbead755efb05a22593eb4c51f980aed6654586-2048x1536.jpg?w=900&auto=format)
![Side view of copper board-like shape covered in solar panels that floats on the open water and has poles with cameras and sensors rising up.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/7p2whiua/production/046241e14c7c204cf226df3a573569ccf94545db-2048x1536.jpg?w=900&auto=format)
Specs
- Overview
Capable of operating autonomously for months at a time without fuel. System composed of three parts: the float at the surface, 8-meter umbilical line, and a sub under water. Can be equipped with a range of sensors to perform missions for marine science, commercial, and defense applications.
- Status
Ongoing
- Year
2007
- Website
- Width
- 145 cm
- Height
- 856 cm
- Length
- 305 cm
- Weight
- 155 kg
- Speed
- 5.5 km/h (3 knots, top water speed)
- Sensors
Camera, CTD (conductivity, temperature, and depth) sensor, wave sensor, weather station, fluorometer, hydrophone, acoustic Doppler current profiler sonar, marine acoustics sensors.
- Actuators
One stepper motor (to control rudder position).
- Materials
Float made of e-glass pre-preg composite with foam cores. Glider consists of stainless steel frame and fiberglass wings, with a titanium "thrudder."
- Compute
Central control unit, plus other processors and controllers based on customer requirements
- Software
On-board: custom control software. Shore-side software: Web-based system.
- Power
Mechanical conversion of wave energy into forward propulsion. On-board electronics and sensors powered via solar panels and batteries.