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Drones May Soon Send Data From High Seas 无人机可能很快从公海传回数据
Drones are usually associated with unmanned flying vehicles, but autonomous1 watercraft also are becoming useful tools for jobs ranging from scientific exploration to law enforcement to searching for a missing airliner2 in the Indian Ocean.
Non-military flying drones for civilian3 use often rely on sunlight to recharge their batteries. But sea-faring drones, such as Wave Glider4, can extract energy from the sun and the water.
Together with solar cells on their decks, these vessels6 use an array of specially7 designed underwater fins8 to harvest energy from the incessant9 up and down motion of waves on the ocean's surface.
The Wave Glider, built by California-based company Liquid Robotics, can remain at sea for months, sending data about the weather and the water to the control center via satellite.
Liquid Robotics’ president, Bill Vass, said it also can cooperate with other drones to share data. “So if you need more processing power, they'll call their friends over. And so the future is having large numbers of them working together, being able to solve some really tough problems for mankind.”
Last year, the Wave Glider broke the Guinness World Record for the longest journey by an unmanned surface vehicle when it travelled non-stop from the U.S. Pacific coast to Australia.
Another robotic ocean vessel5 called Saildrone is powered by the wind. It uses a freely rotating wing controlled by a special tail to travel long distances. The way it is built and designed allows it to stay upright even in the worst weather conditions.
After testing Saildrone on a journey from San Francisco to Hawaii, its builders now plan new tasks, said Saildrone’s Chief Executive Officer, Richard Jenkins.
“Phase two is equipping it with very high-grade science sensors10 and getting some really precise scientific data,” said Jenkins.
Jenkins sees a future for Saildrone in patrolling sea borders and enforcing laws that regulate fishing and protect endangered species.
1 autonomous | |
adj.自治的;独立的 | |
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2 airliner | |
n.客机,班机 | |
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3 civilian | |
adj.平民的,民用的,民众的 | |
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4 glider | |
n.滑翔机;滑翔导弹 | |
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5 vessel | |
n.船舶;容器,器皿;管,导管,血管 | |
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6 vessels | |
n.血管( vessel的名词复数 );船;容器;(具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的)人 | |
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7 specially | |
adv.特定地;特殊地;明确地 | |
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8 fins | |
[医]散热片;鱼鳍;飞边;鸭掌 | |
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9 incessant | |
adj.不停的,连续的 | |
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10 sensors | |
n.传感器,灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 ) | |
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