Author Description

Ocean observation and exploration have long been pivotal for the advancement of marine science, climate change study, and resource utilization. However, traditional oceanographic methodologies that involve crewed vessels or satellite data can be limited by factors like high operational costs, potential human risk, temporal and spatial resolution limitations. Autonomous Ships (ASs), also known as Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs), have emerged as a promising alternative with their high endurance, lower operating costs, and the capability of venturing into hazardous or hard-to-reach environments. USVs or ASs are increasingly being utilized for oceanographic research tasks such as data collection, seafloor mapping, environmental monitoring, and marine life surveys. Equipped with a variety of sensors and devices, these autonomous ships can perform observations and gather crucial oceanic data over large geographical scales and extended time frames, providing a wealth of valuable information for marine scientists.