A cutting-edge marine platform designed to revolutionize coral reef monitoring and mapping called ReefVision Robotics was field tested in Kāneʻohe Bay by University of Hawaiʻi researchers.
A cutting-edge marine platform designed to revolutionize coral reef monitoring and mapping called ReefVision Robotics was field tested in Kāneʻohe Bay by University of Hawaiʻi researchers.
The successful trial, conducted at the Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) in September, represents a step toward a more scalable and highly accurate method for monitoring and mapping coral reefs. The project’s initial targets are invasive macroalgae species and marine debris but the technology can be used to detect many coral reef organisms. This test served as one of several trial runs before the technology is deployed in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in summer 2026.
“The integration of these technologies represents a significant step forward in our ability to manage and respond to invasive species threats facing our Hawaiian coral reefs,” said Keolohilani “Keo” Lopes, Jr., the project lead. The research is part of his PhD dissertation in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management within the UH Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience.
Read more at: University of Hawaii
Field test of the ReefVision Robotics surface unmanned marine system, designed to carry sensors that can detect invasive marine algae at HIMB. (Photo Credit: University of Hawaii)
