| A new clean technology to survey and monitor the seabed environment (geology and biology) in a cost-effective manner will be developed. Based on an existing commercial AUV, the end product will be a fully autonomous vehicle (SEABEE) combining survey capacities (video, photographs, sonar, echo sounder, sub-bottom profiler) and simultaneous water sampling, core sampling and environmental data gathering capacities. The SEABEE will be able to dive and transit to the survey area after being launched from a boat, a harbour, or a helicopter; perform surveys by following a defined path at specified altitudes while switching payload sensorson and off according to the survey plan; take sediment and water samples at programmed locations, and record environmental and geological data while performing the survey; surface at a predefined location and wait for recovery, or return to launching point. |