Russian and Vietnamese Scientists Team Up to Build Smarter Navigation for Underwater Robots

Researchers in Russia and Vietnam are developing next-generation communication systems for autonomous underwater robots, aiming to make deep-sea exploration faster and more reliable.

Scientists from Sevastopol State University in Russia and Hanoi University of Science and Technology in Vietnam have launched a joint project to create advanced navigation and communication tools for underwater robots. The initiative could transform how machines explore ocean depths, manage data, and perform offshore operations.

The collaboration began when Igor Shirokov, a professor at Sevastopol State University, met Vietnamese colleagues at an international conference. After months of exchanging ideas online, he traveled to Hanoi to formalize the partnership.

The core of the project is underwater short-range communication. Researchers are working on technology that allows autonomous underwater robots to transfer data to docking stations at speeds up to 1 megabit per second. That might sound modest compared to land-based networks, but for machines working under extreme pressure and without GPS signals, it’s a major breakthrough.

Shirokov says preliminary results already show high efficiency. The team plans to submit their joint research proposal to the Russian Science Foundation in the coming months.

If successful, the project could accelerate the development of underwater robotics worldwide, enabling more efficient deep-sea exploration, resource mapping, and maritime operations in environments where traditional communication systems fail.