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10. October 2025
Teledyne Marine And Rutgers University Launch Historic Global Voyage With Robotic Underwater Glider
Teledyne Marine and Rutgers University New Brunswick are embarking on a five-year journey with Redwing, a robotic underwater glider designed to circumnavigate the globe. The mission, dubbed the Sentinel Mission, aims to follow in the historic footsteps of explorer Ferdinand Magellan’s 1519-1522 voyage around the world.
Redwing measures approximately 2.57 meters in length and weighs 171 kilograms, with a unique design that rivals its predecessors in terms of endurance and capabilities. Unlike traditional submarines, Redwing relies on a buoyancy engine, consisting of a gas-filled piston that changes the craft’s overall buoyancy to achieve slow and steady progress along a sawtooth trajectory. This design allows the glider to conserve energy and travel at an average speed of 0.75 knots (just under 1 mile per hour), making it one of the most efficient underwater vehicles in its class.
Shea Quinn, lead researcher on the Sentinel Mission at Teledyne Marine, explains that Redwing’s unique design enables it to glide with the currents rather than fighting them. “This approach allows us to make significant progress along our projected flightpath without expending excessive energy,” Quinn notes. The glider’s compact size and lightweight construction also facilitate its ability to navigate through the ocean’s vast expanse, covering a distance of approximately 73,000 kilometers over the next five years.
Redwing will travel alone, tracked by engineers from Teledyne Webb Research and students from Rutgers University, as it surfaces and communicates via satellite. Mission control will adjust the glider’s heading twice a day to maintain its projected flightpath. Although designed for autonomous operation, Redwing is equipped with auxiliary propellers that can be engaged in situations where extra propulsion is required.
The Sentinel Mission is notable not only for its ambitious scope but also for its potential scientific contributions. By gathering data on ocean currents and sea temperature in relatively unknown regions, Redwing will provide invaluable insights into the world’s oceans and their role in regulating the Earth’s climate. This research has far-reaching implications for understanding global weather patterns, marine ecosystems, and the impact of human activities on the planet.
Previous underwater glider missions have demonstrated the capabilities of these remarkable vehicles. In 2009, a Teledyne Marine glider crossed the Atlantic Ocean, while in 2011, another mission reached the Pacific. These achievements have shown that gliders can traverse vast distances without the need for expensive support ships, making them an essential tool for researchers seeking to study the world’s oceans.
Karen Heywood, a researcher at the University of East Anglia in the UK, highlights the significance of these missions. “Gliders are brilliant tools for making measurements in areas that are too risky to send a ship – like the middle of a storm or hurricane, or in front of a calving glacier,” she explains.
However, other challenges may arise during Redwing’s journey. Alexander Phillips at the National Oceanography Centre in the UK notes that the glider will have to contend with sharks and biofouling, a process by which plants and algae accumulate on the vessel’s outer shell, rendering it inoperable. “Biofouling can make a glider inoperable due to marine growth on the glider’s exterior,” Phillips warns.
The Sentinel Mission has significant implications for future research endeavors. Data from this mission will be shared with universities, schools, and other institutions worldwide, aiming to inspire a new generation of researchers and engineers. By showcasing the capabilities of underwater gliders, Redwing’s designers hope to pave the way for even more ambitious and groundbreaking missions in the years to come.
With its cutting-edge design, advanced technology, and commitment to scientific excellence, Redwing is poised to make history as it embarks on its epic journey around the world. The mission will provide a unique opportunity to advance our understanding of the world’s oceans and their role in shaping our planet’s future.