David Chadwell and a team of geophysicists have created a drone that is capable of detecting earthquakes within a subduction zone — something that current technology has a hard time achieving.
The new drones will replace ships that are capable of tracking acoustic beacons along the seafloor, which in turn can locate potential earthquakes by providing a GPS position.
The drone technology from Chadwell’s team will not only cut costs by replacing expensive ships but will also offer more reliable readings on potential earthquakes. The current ships used by the National Science Foundation (NSF) can cost up to $50,000 a day. The new drone technology would only cost around $500 a day.
Source: IGN.com Drones Now Reveal Earthquake Threats Deep in the Ocean