​Lightweight Underwater Robots for Archaeological Surveys:

• Researchers have developed lightweight ROVs specifically for archaeological surveys and excavations1. These robots are designed to remove sediment from the seabed or lake bottom using their thrusters, even without manipulator arms.

• Discovering underwater artifacts can be challenging due to high-risk areas and sediment cover. Traditional excavation methods involve divers or large ROVs with manipulators. However, the lightweight ROVs described in the study use thrusters for sediment removal.
  These robots are equipped with redundant thrusters to compensate for the reaction force during sediment removal.

High-definition cameras are aRole of ROVs in Advancing Underwater Archaeological Research:

• ROVs equipped with cameras and sonar scanners can create accurate 3D models of underwater archaeological sites2. This technology allows researchers to virtually reconstruct the site, visualize its layout and features, and share their findings through interactive presentations and virtual reality experiences.
   

Non-Destructive Surveys with AUVs and ROVs:
 

• Before excavation, non-destructive and non-intrusive surveys are conducted using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and ROVs. These vehicles offer efficient operations in deep water and high-risk areas. For example, the C-Surveyor I AUV was used to investigate deep-water shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico, collecting multibeam bathymetry data and digital still images. Other AUVs have been employed for optical imaging and 3D reconstructions of archaeological sites. lso integrated for archaeological documentation.