AUVs cannot operate everywhere, and certain factors need to be
taken into account during mission planning (Wynn et al., 2012). AUVs
used in marine geoscience typically move at speeds of up to 1.5–
2.0 m/s−1, and can be influenced by tidal (or other) currents
approaching or exceeding these velocities (negative impacts include
‘crabbing’ of the vehicle and navigational drift, both ofwhich can significantly
affect data quality). AUVsmay also be lesswell suited for deployment
in areas of high military, shipping or fishing activity, due to acoustic interference, collision risk, and net entanglement. Areas of high
water-column turbidity, e.g. phytoplankton blooms or areas of high fluvial
run-off, may hinder camera-based seafloor imaging.