An approach to scalable surface-drifting buoys is needed to enable the high spatial and temporal resolution of oceanographic data that the science and meteorological communities are asking for. With the number of active buoys predicted to increase by a factor of 100 or more, the impact on the environment becomes even more important. Here, we present a pathway to a scalable and sustainable generation of buoys. We identify the main criteria to be used when developing such buoys to be low cost, with reliable data and neutral or even positive environmental impact. For each buoy subsystem — hull, electronics, energy generation and storage, sensors, and communication system — cutting-edge technological solutions are presented, many of them from emerging research in marine or other disciplines. We then assess the potential solutions against the design criteria and plot a path toward small, environmentally friendly, low-cost, and low-power buoys.

Workshop participants divided into focus groups to consider resident autonomous undersea vehicle (R-AUV) use cases related to these four application areas: mid-ocean ridges and the overlying water column; gas hydrates and coastal oceans; polar, under-ice, and off-planet oceans; and maintenance and operation of installations.

The following technical elements emerged as clear common themes across R-AUV deployment scenarios: power and data management sub-systems, communications, navigation, capable sensor and payload systems, advanced autonomy functions. The single most important conclusion of the workshop is that incremental technological steps toward realizing routine R-AUV operations could yield revolutionary scientific and operational value.