Theme

Exploring Oceans, Protecting the Future

ROVs like Waldo help us explore and understand parts of the ocean that are too cold and dangerous for humans to reach. By mapping the seabed and monitoring marine life, Waldo can collect important data about how climate change is affecting underwater ecosystems. This supports global efforts to protect life below water and take action on climate change. ROVs are also used to inspect offshore wind turbines and other structures, helping make energy production safer and more sustainable.

ROVs like Waldo help us explore and understand parts of the ocean that are too cold and dangerous for humans to reach. 

Aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water, Waldo can map the seabed, monitor marine biodiversity, and track changes in underwater ecosystems. This kind of research is especially important as studies show that warming deep-ocean water is shifting toward sensitive regions like Antarctica, impacting marine environments (University of Cambridge, n.d.).

Waldo also contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action by collecting long-term environmental data, helping scientists better understand and respond to the effects of climate change on ocean systems (Enhancing the Scientific Value of Industry ROVs in Our Oceans, 2020).

In addition, under UN Sustainable Development Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, ROVs are widely used to inspect offshore wind turbines and underwater infrastructure. These inspections improve efficiency, reduce risk, and support the growth of safer, more sustainable energy production systems (Business Norway, 2024; Zhang et al., 2024).

References

• Deep-ocean heat has been marching closer to Antarctica, study reveals. (n.d.). University of Cambridge. https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/deep-ocean-heat-has-been-marching-closer-to-antarctica-study-reveals

• Enhancing the Scientific Value of Industry Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) in Our Oceans. (2020, 4 14). frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.00220/full

• How ROVs enhance offshore wind efficiency. (2024, December 19). Business Norway. Retrieved April 28, 2026, from https://businessnorway.com/articles/what-are-rovs-and-how-are-they-used-in-offshore-wind

• Zhang, K., Pakrashi, V., Murphy, J., & Hao, G. (n.d.). Inspection of Floating Offshore Wind Turbines Using Multi-Rotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Literature Review and Trends. National Library of Medicine National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38339628/

• Zhang, K., Pakrashi, V., Murphy, J., & Hao, G. (2024, 1 30). Inspection of Floating Offshore Wind Turbines Using Multi-Rotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Literature Review and Trends. MDPI. https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/3/911