Key points
- Impossible Metals completed a successful deep water test of its Eureka II autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV).
- The AUV uses AI-guided cameras and robotic arms to pick up seafloor nodules individually, minimizing sediment disturbance and avoiding visible life.
- The vehicle leaves behind a set percentage and pattern of nodules to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem services.
- Once full, the AUV returns to the ship, where a motion-compensated crane docks it for nodule offloading and battery swaps before its next trip; the fleet is designed to remain at sea continuously as ships rotate in and out.
