Underwater robots can largely be classified into two distinct groups: underactuated Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) with low-drag slender bodies for effcient long-range travel, and Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) with numerous thrusters for accurate low- speed maneuverability at the expense of drag. Both distinctions present inherent limitations. AUVs possess inaccurate small-scale maneuvering, while ROVs are cumbersome and range limited, both of which require expensive manned infrastructure for operation. As underwater robots increasingly become indispensable oceanography instruments, the development of a next-generation vehicle without suffering these design trade-offs becomes paramount.
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