Remotely operated vehicles used by the oil and gas sector can be enhanced to gather more scientific data, according to Australian researchers.

August fundings totaled $369 million but the number of August transactions, seven, was down from previous months, eg: both July and June had 19 fundings each. Acquisitions, on the other hand, remained steady with a big one pending: Snap has been negotiating all month to acquire Chinese drone startup Zero Zero Robotics for around $150M.

By Frank Tobe, Editor/Publisher, The Robot Report The business of unmanned aerial, underwater and ground vehicles — originally funded by DARPA, NSF and other government-sponsored research programs — and the many ancillary businesses involved — has grown quickly and dramatically. Lobbying for its interests has been well-funded by defense contractors and very successful in advancing the defense…

By Frank Tobe. Publisher, The Robot Report Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute’s Sentry ROV We’ve read about their use in last year’s Deepwater Horizon Gulf of Mexico oil spill and their underwater repair work, traipsing the corridors and collecting rubble at Fukushima nuclear power plants, the exploits of James Cameron and his amazing underwater photos and movie…