The Wave Glider: enabling a new approach to persistent ocean observation and research

The Wave Glider^TM wave-powered unmanned maritime vehicle represents a novel and unique approach to persistent ocean presence. Wave Glider is a hybrid sea-surface and underwater vehicle in that it is comprised of a submerged “glider” attached via a tether to a surface float. The Wave Glider vehicle is propelled by the purely mechanical conversion of ocean wave energy into forward thrust, independent of wave direction. In this paper, we provide an overview of the design of this new platform and present results from the engineering sea trials conducted with several prototype and production versions of the vehicle. In addition to the Wave Glider technology, we present results from ongoing scientific demonstration programs. Results from test deployments of a conductivity–temperature–depth sensor and its applicability to oceanography are discussed. An evaluation of horizontal current profiles and current velocity estimation from a Wave Glider operating in Monterey Bay (California, USA) are presented.