Sonardyne Positioning to Track AUV Fleet Under Greenland Glaciers

Sonardyne underwater positioning technology will track a fleet of autonomous vehicles operating closer to Greenland's tidewater glaciers than ever attempted before. The GIANT project, led by the British Antarctic Survey, is investigating how warming ocean water is melting the glaciers and what this means for global climate. Running from July into August, the mission will deploy aerial, surface and subsea robots as a connected observing system from the polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough, aiming to transform forecasting of ice loss and climate tipping points.

 

The GIANT Mission

 

The project addresses one of the most pressing questions in climate science. GIANT stands for Greenland Ice sheet to AtlaNtic Tipping points from ice loss. It is led by the British Antarctic Survey and investigates how warming oceans melt tidewater glaciers. The mission will run from July into August this year. It focuses on tidewater glaciers near Kangerlussuaq Fjord in Greenland.

The scope of the mission is deliberately comprehensive. It aims to map, measure and monitor everything from ocean water temperature to glacier movement. The UK polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough serves as the primary platform. From it, a fleet of aerial, surface and subsea vehicles will be deployed. These operate as a connected observing system rather than as isolated instruments.

 

The Robotic Fleet

 

The mission brings together several classes of autonomous vehicle. The underwater vehicles include the National Oceanography Centre's AutoSub Long Range, also known as Boaty McBoatface. A Teledyne Gavia and ecoSUB Robotics autonomous underwater vehicles complete the subsea element. This mix combines long-range endurance with smaller survey capabilities. Together they can cover different aspects of the glacier environment.

The observing system extends above and around the water as well. Embedded robotic sensors will track melting below the surface directly. A DriX uncrewed surface vessel will operate at the water's surface. Aerial drones will survey the ice from above the glacier. This layered approach captures data across multiple domains simultaneously.

 

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The Positioning Challenge

 

Coordinating multiple robots underwater presents a fundamental technical problem. GPS signals do not function beneath the water's surface. Visibility in these environments can be close to zero. Multi-robot operations depend on knowing where each vehicle is at all times. Without reliable positioning, formation operations near glaciers would be impossible.

Sonardyne's technology provides the solution to this challenge. The company's Ranger 2 Ultra-Short BaseLine system will be installed on the RRS Sir David Attenborough. A Mini-Ranger 2 system will operate from the daughter craft Erebus. These systems will track and control the formation operation of the underwater vehicles. This allows the robots to map the glacier's underwater face safely and accurately.

 

Why the Data Matters

 

The mission targets a critical gap in climate understanding. Scientists know that warm ocean water is already eroding glaciers from below. This contributes to sea level rise and may affect major North Atlantic currents. However, detailed continuous measurements from where ocean meets ice remain scarce. That zone is among the hardest places on Earth to reach safely.

The project seeks to fill this observational gap. Researchers aim to determine how fast Greenland's glaciers can melt. They also want to understand how much of that melt will disrupt ocean systems that regulate weather. The data could transform how ice loss in Greenland's fjords is forecast. It may also improve early warning systems for climate tipping points.

 

A New Approach to Ocean Robotics

 

The mission represents a shift in how underwater robots are used. GIANT is among the first projects to treat underwater robots as a coordinated system. It deploys long-range, small and survey vehicles together in extreme glacier environments. These operations extend over prolonged periods rather than brief deployments. This coordinated approach distinguishes it from previous glacier research efforts.

The scientific ambition extends beyond isolated measurements. The aim is to feed near-continuous observations into climate models. This should help scientists better predict how glaciers respond to a warming ocean. Sonardyne described the positioning layer as turning multiple vehicles into a connected observing system. The project involves 15 collaborating institutions and five technology partners, backed by the UK's Advanced Research and Invention Agency.