Welcome to the AUV Program

The Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) program at Cal Poly uses the Remote Environmental Measuring UnitS (REMUS) AUV, developed by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. We focus on involving undergraduates and expanding the application of AUV technology by integrating state of the art oceanographic sensors with the vehicle. This combination allows us to further our understanding of the dynamic nature of the coastal ocean, specifically with respect to the dynamics of the phytoplankton community and the distribution of bioluminescent phytoplankton and zooplankton.

Future plans for the AUV program at Cal Poly include the addition of a second REMUS vehicle, which will be outfitted with upward and downward looking Satlantic radiometers for use in ground validation of Remote sensing efforts, a WETlabs flourometer and backscatter sensor, and a capillary wave guide spectrometer currently being developed at Mote Marine Labs in Florida, for use in identifying and tracking harmful algal blooms.