NOAA OECI Showcase Highlights Underwater Autonomy and Ocean Monitoring Systems

In October 2026, the NOAA Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute (NOAA OECI) held a two-day underwater systems and autonomy showcase at the University of Rhode Island’s (URI) Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, Rhode Island. The event brought together oceanographers, ocean engineers, industry experts, and other participants to share field experience and explore ways emerging subsea technologies could support ocean exploration and monitoring. Demonstrations took place in connection with URI’s Ocean Robotics Laboratory and featured platforms including the remotely operated vehicle ROV Rhody and the Autonomous Lander for Biological Experiments (ALBEX).

The showcased capability areas included underwater tracking, navigation, communication, and positioning; high-resolution laser scanning and optical imaging; and autonomous observation. Sonardyne develops underwater tracking, navigation, communication, and subsea-positioning technology, while Voyis designs and manufactures high-resolution underwater laser scanners, optical cameras, and stereo-vision systems for subsea vehicles. The source also describes Seatrak’s unmanned surface vehicle (USV), which acoustically harvested data while holding position in the strong surface currents of the Loop Current. Together, these examples provide a view of technologies being used in ocean-science settings, rather than evidence of an announced procurement action.

Research presented at the showcase illustrated the operating conditions and data-collection demands relevant to future NOAA ocean exploration and marine-sanctuary work. URI Graduate School of Oceanography Professor Kathleen Donohue described using Sonardyne instruments to collect and transmit data from the Loop Current, including deployments around the Sigsbee Escarpment and Mississippi Fan at depths of approximately 1,800 to 3,200 meters. The URI group deployed bottom-mounted instruments, including URI CPIES and Sonardyne CPIES and Origin 65 instruments. Seatrak’s USV acoustically harvested data while maintaining position despite strong surface currents, illustrating the coordination of subsea instruments and surface platforms in challenging environments.

The event also addressed challenges in sustaining autonomous seafloor observations. Andrew Davies, jointly appointed professor at URI’s Graduate School of Oceanography and College of the Environment and Life Sciences, designed and constructed ALBEX, a recoverable platform that descends to the seafloor to collect environmental data in locations that may be difficult for other instruments to reach. Davies described deployment and recovery constraints: landers can drift during descent, while ship time and weather can limit deployment opportunities. The source identifies ALBEX 2.0 as a redesign with a lighter, more adaptable platform and updated sensor packages. For contractors, the practical takeaway is market context about mission challenges and capability needs—not a funded requirement, solicitation, contract award, or immediate bid opportunity. Firms can use these use cases to assess the relevance of their systems and monitor future NOAA program announcements.

• NOAA OECI held the two-day showcase in October 2026 at URI’s Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
• Demonstration and discussion areas included subsea navigation, communications, positioning, imaging, and autonomous observation.
• Sonardyne technologies were described in connection with tracking, navigation, communications, and positioning in underwater operations.
• Voyis products include underwater laser scanners, optical cameras, and stereo-vision systems for subsea vehicles.
• URI research deployments around the Sigsbee Escarpment and Mississippi Fan reached approximately 1,800 to 3,200 meters depth.
• Instruments used by the URI group included URI CPIES and Sonardyne CPIES and Origin 65 systems.
• Seatrak’s USV acoustically harvested data while maintaining position in strong Loop Current surface conditions.
• ALBEX is a recoverable seafloor platform for environmental data collection; ALBEX 2.0 was described as lighter and more adaptable, with updated sensor packages.
• Deployment challenges include lander drift during descent and limitations on ship time and weather windows.
• The showcase signals relevant capability areas for industry monitoring, but it announced no solicitation, contract award, or specific funded procurement opportunity.