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Our oceans are an astounding , yet mysterious part of our planet inhabited by many familiar marine creatures but hiding innumerable undiscovered wonders . Astonishingly , did you know that we have better maps of the moon than we do of the ocean ? According to National Geographic , as of 2020 , only 20 % of our oceans are mapped and documented ! Ocean exploration relies upon extensive marine biology research , and more recently , drone technology . For example , ocean exploration helps monitor fish populations and underwater man-made structures , all extremely beneficial to the advancement of science benefitting society . In this article , I will explain how drones work , how useful ocean exploration is and how it will improve over the next decade .
Scientists use incredibly sophisticated drones , also known as ROVs ( Remotely Operated Vehicles ), to explore the ocean . They are also working to improve current drone technology to enable them to go even deeper for longer periods of time and with more advanced sensors . Many underwater drones have cameras and a wireless connection to the control room from where the operator can completely control the drone and guide it through the sea . Previously , people had to go scuba diving or use mini submarines to explore or conduct repairs . Therefore , these methods created a risk to human life whereas using drones eliminates this risk .
Ocean exploration has provided additional unforeseen benefits including reports on weather , geology , pollution and populations of marine creatures . With more research and the current improved technology , the reports are more detailed and useful than ever . An example of this is that drones can get data on the state of the dying coral reefs more easily and quickly . Much of this information can be obtained because of the drone ’ s ability to remain underwater for weeks at a time ! According to the online article by David Hambling ,
ALINA BHAIWALA
‘ What Drones Did for The Sky , Robot Subs Are About to Do for The Sea .’, he stated : “ A new generation of low-cost ROVs should give the industry greatly improved capability for monitoring beds of shellfish , fish populations , anchors and underwater infrastructure .” I believe that David Hambling is correct in his assertion that ROVs should be used more frequently , because drones can swim faster and deeper than humans , and can work in conditions that humans cannot like extreme cold , oil and sewage . With these benefits it is easier to explore the ocean and as awareness of the benefits of underwater drones increases so will their use in ocean exploration .
I predict that in a decade , ocean exploration will become increasingly appreciated and high profile , especially as technological advances would result in both cheaper and more resilient drones . The ‘ Seabed 2030 Project ’ is a global collaboration aiming to complete the mapping of the entire ocean floor by 2030 . This will then result in more of our unknown parts of the ocean being explored . I hope that with increased use of state-of-the-art drones that we will discover new types of marine life that lurk in the deepest parts in the ocean .
In conclusion , ocean exploration results in important discoveries for both the planet and humanity , including the battle against climate change . Drone technology is and will continue to be a vital component of this as they use less resources but have the ability to discover significantly more than a scuba diver could dream of . I have been fortunate enough to have seen a variety of different marine animals in lots of different oceans . However , the one thing I learnt is that after spending even a little bit of time time exploring the ocean , you immediately fall in love with it and want to find out much more about its secrets . Although one decade exploring our ocean may not enough time to discover everything it has to offer , at least it is a step in the right direction .