The Slocum Sentinel Glider will gather data on ocean currents, sea temperature and their impact on weather systems and the planet
In a world-first for marine science and technology, Teledyne Marine, in collaboration with Rutgers University-New Brunswick, will conduct a mission to circumnavigate the globe with an autonomous underwater glider
Launched from the edge of the continental shelf south of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, on October 10 2025, the Slocum Sentinel Glider, Redwing, will gather data on ocean currents, sea temperature and their impact on weather systems and the planet. This data will help refine weather models and improve hurricane intensity forecasting, as well as help to inform ocean policy and conservation efforts.
Brian Maguire, COO at Teledyne Marine, said, “This is a truly historic mission. It will pave the way for a future where a global fleet of autonomous underwater gliders will be able to continuously sample our oceans. These gliders will deliver early warnings of extreme weather and track the impact of shifting ocean currents, so we can refine long-term weather projections in a way scientists have dreamed of for decades."
Maguire added, “It will also prove that long-range, next-generation, low-energy autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are capable of carrying more complex, heavier, and increasingly energy-hungry sensors on missions that we could only have imagined previously.”
Redwings flight path
In its first leg, Redwing will ride the Gulf Stream south of Martha's Vineyard toward Europe, before travelling south to stop at Gran Canaria off the coast of North West Africa. Its next leg will take Redwing to Cape Town, South Africa, then across the Indian Ocean to Perth, Western Australia, and finally to Wellington, New Zealand.
Redwing will then navigate to the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, the most powerful current on Earth, on its longest leg to the Falkland Islands. From here, there may be stops in Brazil and the Caribbean before it returns to Cape Cod in the US.
Providing data
Every 8-12 hours, Redwing will surface and transmit information via satellite, sharing crucial data on ocean temperature, salinity, currents, and ocean health via the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) global monitoring system.
This will allow scientists, oceanographers, meteorologists, universities, and schools around the world to access real-time results internationally.
Inside Redwing
The Sentinel Redwing is a new class of sea glider, developed for ultra-long missions across the seas, and engineered with extended battery capacity and additional sensor capability, enabling it to travel up to 15,000 kilometres on a single leg.
Redwing will dive to depths of 1,000m before returning to the surface every 8-12 hours to transmit data. Using gravity and buoyancy for propulsion, it flies in a sawtooth pattern through the water, conserving energy for years-long deployments.
Redwing’s carbon fibre hull flexes under pressure, compressing slightly during descent, while its buoyancy is adjusted using an oil pump and pitch battery system, allowing Redwing to “surf” rather than resist ocean currents, travelling at an average speed of 0.75-1 knots as it efficiently propels forward, enabling it to travel vast distances and stay deployed for longer.
At 2.57m long and 0.33m in diameter, Redwing carries a payload of up to 3.5kg, including:
- · CTD sensor
- · Altimeter to avoid the seafloor
- · Attitude and compass sensors for navigation
- · A fish monitor from Dalhousie University, tracking tagged marine life, including sharks and whales
Shea Quinn, Sentinel Mission Project lead and Slocum Glider Product Line manager, said, “As we travel through the layers of the ocean, which move over and under each other in different directions, we’ll gather data on water temperature and density, and we’ll pick up pings from tagged marine life. We’ll be able to see what’s happening at the surface and deeper underwater, where huge patches of cold water and warm water move. This data will help us show, for example, where a hurricane is going next and how intense it’s going to be. We’ll also build a better knowledge about the impact of ocean currents on our weather patterns, informing global ocean models of the future, and our understanding of long-term climate change.”
Supported by partners from around the world, including Spain, Gran Canaria, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, the UK, and the US.
Academic collaboration
Teledyne Marine engineers will work with over 50 Rutgers University students at the Centre for Ocean Observing Leadership (COOL), who have helped programme the navigation software that will guide Redwing across the oceans.
Together, they will track Redwing from their shared mission control bases and keep it on its flight path, making necessary adjustments each time it surfaces throughout the 73,000km journey.
Scott Glenn, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers, said, “This is a pivotal moment for ocean science. We’re deploying an autonomous glider that will travel the world’s oceans, gathering data. And we’re doing it with students, educators and international collaborators every step of the way.”
Oscar Schofield, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers, added: “There’s no doubt in my mind that this mission will not only shape our understanding of the oceans and their impact on the climate in a new way, but it will also change the future of autonomous ocean exploration."
