Autonomous underwater robot begins its mission to become first ever to travel all around the world
Published on Oct 18, 2025 at 2:39 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Oct 15, 2025 at 4:33 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
An autonomous underwater robot glider named Redwing has begun a mission to become the first-ever to circumnavigate the globe.
US-based Teledyne Marine joined forces with Rutgers University to launch Redwing.
The autonomous underwater robot set off into the Atlantic Ocean on Friday, October 10.
The launch kick-starts a five-year-long mission.
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Redwing will be the first underwater robot to circumnavigate the globe
Developed by Teledyne Marine and Rutgers University, Redwing is a next-generation Slocum Sentinel Glider and is ‘the most advanced commercial subsea glider’ ever built.
The glider has a carbon fiber hull and is larger, more powerful, and faster than previous models.
Rather than a traditional propeller system, the glider has a buoyancy engine that it can adjust, allowing it to move through the water.
The mission will see Redwing collect data, while managing to dodge fishing nets and other obstacles – all without the need for a human on board.
The mission aims to inspire the next generation of roboticists and help showcase what can be achieved with modern technology.
“This is a truly historic mission,” chief operating officer at Teledyne Marine Brian Maguire said in a press release.
“It will pave the way for a future where a global fleet of autonomous underwater gliders continuously gathers data from the oceans.
“These will deliver early warnings of extreme weather and will track the impact of shifting ocean currents so that we can refine long-term climate projections in a way that scientists have dreamed of for decades.”
Redwing’s sensor can measure three things: how warm the water is, how deep it is, and how salty it is.
This data will then help scientists back on dry land understand how the ocean moves and how that impacts the atmosphere.
The underwater glider will cover around 45,000 miles
In total, the journey is expected to last around five years.
It will see the autonomous underwater robot travel around 45,000 miles at an average speed of 0.75 knots.
After entering the water near Martha’s Vineyard, Redwing will ride the Gulf Stream toward Europe before heading south to stop at Gran Canaria.
The second leg will see the underwater glider heading to Cape Town, before crossing the Indian Ocean to stop at Western Australia and on to New Zealand.
From there, Redwing will navigate the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and head towards the Falkland Islands, after which is might stop off in Brazil and the Caribbean before returning to the US.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
