Antarctic ROV Expedition: How the Deep Trekker PIVOT Supported All-Women Ocean Science Research

As one of the most remote, extreme environments on Earth, Antarctica presents some of the greatest challenges to marine research, demanding innovative and accessible technologies to study ecosystems that remain largely unexplored. Earlier this year, a 24-day expedition brought together a team of 22 women explorers from more than nine countries to retrace Sir Ernest Shackleton's historic Imperial Trans-Antarctic route while conducting interdisciplinary scientific research across the Southern Ocean. The expedition sought not only to follow in the footsteps of historic exploration, but also to reimagine who gets to participate in shaping that legacy today.

A dedicated four-member Submersible Science Team deployed the Deep Trekker PIVOT ROV system to conduct subsea research in one of the planet's most challenging marine environments. The mission focused on benthic habitat surveys, hydrothermal vent reconnaissance, visual documentation supporting leopard seal ethogram studies, GIS-based comparisons of current and historical glacier extents, under-ice environment observations, and submerged maritime heritage sites including bone deposits that preserve evidence of the region's whaling-era history. Many of these sites had never previously been documented using video. The expedition integrated underwater robotics with interdisciplinary field science to collect 4K resolution datasets that support ongoing research into climate-driven environmental change, polar marine ecosystems, and Southern Ocean processes.

This case study documents the operational deployment of ROV technology within Antarctic field constraints and its role in enabling integrated subsea data collection across science, mapping, and ecological research workflows.

What Was The Antarctic ROV Expedition About?

The Antarctic ROV program used a Deep Trekker PIVOT to document seabed geology, benthic habitats, water-column conditions, anthropogenic impacts, and ice-ocean interactions across the Southern Ocean.

ROV operations contributed to detailed scientific observations of seabed geology, benthic habitats, water column analysis, anthropogenic impacts, and ice-ocean interactions, while also demonstrating the effectiveness of low-impact, tethered ROV surveys in remote polar environments.

This included capturing hours of 4K video footage from both the seafloor and the overlying water-column that provide valuable baseline information to support ongoing analysis of marine ecosystems. The data collected will contribute to advancing understanding of polar marine processes in a rapidly changing environment.

The expedition was designed to create opportunities for women and gender-diverse participants to lead scientific research and document environmental changes occurring in polar regions. Integrated mapping platforms such as ArcGIS supported the project by combining scientific data, cultural context, and firsthand experiences into accessible visual narratives that could be shared with broader audiences.

Who Led The ROV Operations Team?

ROV operations were led by an all-Canadian, multidisciplinary team of women with expertise spanning marine geology, GIS, geomatics engineering, hydrography, glacial geomorphology, and ocean science.

Their collaboration reflects the strength of Canada's growing leadership in ocean technology and the blue economy — demonstrating how Canadian expertise in submersible innovation can support scientific exploration in some of the world's most challenging environments.

The expedition's dedicated ROV team included:

• Katie MacIntosh – Lead Hydrographer and Geomatics Engineering Specialist
• Moronke Harris – Lead Oceanographer and ROV Pilot
• Denise Brushett – Geologist and GIS Lead
• Heather Pearce – Geoscientist and Scuba Diver

Harris summarized the team effort:

“This was a masterclass in teamwork, trust, leading with initiative in times of uncertainty, expedition logistics, and the power of professional contacts who believe in your dreams.”

Why Was the Deep Trekker PIVOT ROV the Optimal Choice for an Antarctic Expedition?

The Deep Trekker PIVOT ROV was chosen for its portability, reliability, and single-operator deployment — its removable battery let it travel as checked airline luggage, avoiding the cost and risk of shipping robotic equipment to Antarctica.

The Deep Trekker PIVOT ROV provided the ideal combination of portability, reliability, and operational demands of remote Antarctic fieldwork from a zodiac-based platform. Designed for rapid deployment by a single operator, the compact system minimized mobilization requirements while delivering high-quality underwater imagery needed for scientific observation. Its removable battery system allowed the vehicle to travel as checked airline luggage, eliminating the cost, logistical complexity, and risk associated with shipping specialist robotic equipment to Antarctica.

Equally important was the support provided by the Deep Trekker team. Their professionalism, responsiveness, and solutions-focused approach ensured the expedition had access to a fully capable observation-class ROV within a demanding project timeline. The expedition's ROV team also benefited from the support of Erica Moulton of the Center for Open Exploration, whose commitment to expanding opportunities within the ROV community helped bring this collaboration together. Her advocacy for women in polar research and her connections across the observation-class ROV sector exemplify the collaborative spirit that drives innovation and scientific exploration.

In a highly specialized industry where collaboration and trusted professional networks are essential, partnerships like this enable scientific and industry teams to access the right technology when it matters most.

What Research Was Completed With The ROV?

The Deep Trekker PIVOT ROV documented rich benthic communities, supported the world's first leopard seal ethogram study, captured first-known footage of hydrothermal vent systems at Deception Island, and recorded historic whale bone deposits.

Visual surveys revealed exceptionally rich and abundant benthic communities, highlighting the remarkable biodiversity present within Antarctic coastal ecosystems. The ROV also contributed to marine mammal observations, including the world's first leopard seal ethogram study led by expedition team member Sarah Neill, by enabling remote underwater documentation of this apex predator and complementing in-water observations conducted by the expedition team. By extending observation capabilities and reducing the need for prolonged close-proximity monitoring, the ROV provided an additional tool for documenting natural behaviours while supporting responsible wildlife research in a sensitive polar environment.

Hydrothermal reconnaissance at Deception Island produced significant findings, including video documentation of hydrothermal vent systems that is believed to represent the first recorded footage from the study area. These observations provide an important foundation for future research into the geological and biological processes associated with Antarctic hydrothermal systems.

The Deep Trekker PIVOT ROV system also contributed to the documentation of glacier-influenced coastal environments. By comparing contemporary observations with historic records and maps from the Shackleton-Rowett Expedition (1921–1922), the team gained valuable insight into the scale of glacial retreat over the past century. These observations provide important visual context for understanding long-term environmental change in Antarctica and demonstrate the value of combining historical expedition records with modern underwater technologies.

The investigation and positioning of historic whale bone deposits offered a unique opportunity to examine Antarctica's maritime heritage beneath the ice. These remnants, left behind by industrial whaling operations during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, provide an important archaeological and environmental record of profound human impacts that once shaped the Southern Ocean. Documenting these sites helps place today's protected marine ecosystems into their historical context and highlights the importance of long-term conservation efforts.

What Does This Expedition Show About Polar Science And ROV Operations?

Collectively, the expedition’s Submersible Science Team demonstrated how a compact observation-class ROV can support interdisciplinary polar research, generating valuable scientific observations across marine ecology, geology, oceanography, glaciology, and maritime heritage within a single field campaign.

Key ROV operational advantages included:

• Innovative, compact system with minimal deployment footprint, enabling transport via commercial air travel and rapid mobilization in remote Antarctic field conditions.
• Single-operator deployment and recovery from zodiac platforms, supporting efficient operations in dynamic polar environments.
• Ultra High-resolution 4K imaging for benthic habitat documentation, biological observations, glacial surveys, and maritime heritage investigations.
• Reduced human risk by enabling underwater observations and extended dive times, in environments unsuitable for divers.
• Repeatable survey capability, providing georeferenced visual records that can support long-term environmental monitoring and future scientific comparison.

The expedition model also extends beyond fieldwork, incorporating education and outreach programs. Since 2014, the organization has conducted multiple Arctic expeditions and engaged over 1,000 participants through training initiatives in ocean science and robotics.

How Is GIS Used In Antarctic Ocean Research?

GIS provided the spatial framework connecting scientific observations, historical records, and field operations, using ESRI Canada's ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS StoryMaps to turn complex datasets into accessible visual narratives.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) played a central role throughout the expedition, providing the spatial framework that connected scientific observations, historical records, and field operations into a single georeferenced environment. GIS enabled the team to plan operations, interpret findings, and understand how individual datasets related to the broader Antarctic environment.

Through Esri Canada’s partnership with the team, ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS StoryMaps were used to develop interactive platforms that transformed complex scientific datasets into accessible visual narratives.

By combining maps, photographs, videos, historical context, and expedition observations, StoryMaps enabled both the expedition team and the public to explore the science geographically; strengthening communication, education, and engagement beyond the expedition itself - in a way that is both technically rigorous and accessible to wider audiences.

Alex Miller, president of Esri Canada, described the role of mapping systems:

“Maps are a universal language that transcend borders, cultures and backgrounds, making it possible for people everywhere to understand and engage with complex scientific discoveries visually.”

What Climate Change Signals Were Observed In Antarctica?

Researchers documented glacier retreat, newly exposed seabed features, and new coastal lagoons in once ice-covered areas, with changes assessed against 1921–22 Shackleton-Rowett expedition maps.

Visible indicators of environmental change were documented across several glacier-influenced environments, including glacier retreat, newly exposed seabed features, and the formation of coastal water bodies in areas that were historically ice-covered. These observations were considered within the broader context of a warming Southern Ocean and the increasing sensitivity of polar coastal ecosystems to changes in ice cover, ocean temperature, and glacial dynamics.

Geological sketch maps from the 1921–22 Shackleton-Rowett Quest Expedition overlapped with several of the regions that were investigated during this expedition. Maps prepared by geologist George Vibert Douglas highlighted geological and glacial features that marked glacial landforms and the maximum extent of ice as a baseline of what changes have occurred over the past 100 years.

Observed indicators included:

• Formation of new lagoons in previously ice-covered areas
• Glacier margin retreat and exposure of fresh ridges and boulder fields
• Newly exposed seabed features shaped by recent ice loss
• Changes in coastal morphology consistent with long-term glacier retreat

By integrating field observations, historical records, GIS workflows, and ROV imagery, the expedition's Submersible Science Team helped document these changes in a way that supports future monitoring, comparison, and scientific interpretation.

The submersible science program on this expedition highlighted the value of combining scientific expertise with practical, field-ready technology. By supporting the team with an observation-class ROV, Deep Trekker's PIVOT ROV enabled scientific observations that may otherwise have been difficult to obtain. As polar research continues to evolve, partnerships between researchers, technology providers, and the wider marine robotics community will play an increasingly important role in advancing our understanding of the ocean while making exploration more accessible, efficient, and safe.

Learn More About the Expedition:

• CBC News – Nova Scotia geoscientists finish Antarctic expedition
• CBC Radio Interview (Part 1) – Reshaping who gets to tell the story of the polar regions
• CBC Radio Interview (Part 2) – Coming face-to-face with a leopard seal in Antarctica
• CBC Radio Interview (Part 3) – Heave Away: Conducting submersible science in the Antarctic