Glider Fleet

Marine technology at the service of Mediterranean research

See deployed gliders

Access collected data

ICTS SOCIB Glider Fleet

Underwater gliders of the ICTS SOCIB are autonomous vehicles, small unmanned submarines about 2 meters long and weighing around 60 kilograms.

The gliders are equipped with a set of sensors capable of continuously measuring Essential Ocean Variables: temperature, conductivity, fluorescence, chlorophyll, oxygen, and turbidity from the surface down to depths of up to1,000 meters.

This data helps to understand physical and biogeochemical processes at different spatial and temporal scales.

Operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Can integrate a large number of sensors for Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs), such as hydrophones.

Can send and receive data in real-time thanks to its antenna, which connects via Iridium satellite to the control center and the glider pilot.

Can send collected data and change its configuration in real-time.

Travels long distances and carries out long-duration missions, even up to three months.

Capable of diving up to 1,000 meters.

Able to operate in the most extreme conditions (even in the middle of a hurricane) and in steep and difficult-to-access marine profiles.

Consumes very little energy, moves by gliding, changing its density, and does not have a propeller.

See the gliders currently deployed in the Western Mediterranean Sea

SOCIB Viewer

Title: Visor gliders
Viewer Type: ALIAS
Viewer Alias: None
Show link open in Viewers System: True
Advanced options: show_platform_types=true&filter_platform_types=glider

Access the metocean data collected in the glider missions

The data is accessible and downloadable in KMZ and NetCDF formats. Additionally, users can track the progress of each mission and view figures related to the observations by accessing the interactive profile viewer or visualizing the data using the SOCIB Dapp application.

Slot for frontend

Name: GliderDeployments

Access

The ICTS SOCIB offers access to the Glider Fleet Facility to public research groups and the private sector, belonging to national or international communities.

Check the conditions to apply for access to the Glider Fleet

Glider Fleet in Figures in 2024

Key metrics that allow measuring the impact of the operational activity of the Glider Fleet Facility

Active gliders

Missions

Days at sea

593

CTD profiles

22,414

Nautical milles

7,515

GB of data downloaded

194.8

Contact the team

Nikolaos Zarokanellos

Scientist in charge of the Glider Fleet Facility

Albert Miralles Brunet

Chief Engineer of the Glider Fleet Facility

Manuel Rubio Fernández

Glider Technician

Patricia Rivera Rodríguez

Glider Technician

Contact now

Collaboration Networks

The Glider Fleet Facility actively participates in competitive international, European, national, and regional projects. The ICTS SOCIB's Glider Fleet has also received numerous awards from institutions and organizations committed to marine R&D&I.

The Glider Fleet actively participates in competitive international, European, national, and regional projects. Its activities are aligned with the European and international framework through scientific collaborations in European initiatives such as JERICO RI and the Copernicus Marine Service, and internationally through the CALYPSO project, funded by the United States Office of Naval Research (ONR).

Funding

The acquisition of the two glider units sl3U1063 and sl3U1064 is part of the project EQC2021-007698-P, funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by the European Union "NextGenerationEU"/PRTR.