Traditionally, research teams deploy divers—limited by depth and oxygen availability—or use remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) with onboard sensors. Since both require boats on the surface, they are subject to weather conditions.
RFID technology has potential in marine environments. Wireless data transmission can eliminate the need for divers and enhance equipment like ROVs, improving underwater research. Since this field is still in its infancy, the possibilities are endless.
Enhances the Internet of Things
RFID has existed for years, but its efficacy in marine and fluvial environments remains largely untested. Research and development have focused on land-based technical advancement. However, studies show this technology works well underwater in many cases. These systems can store data at close range regardless of frequency.
Passive RFID tags enhance the Internet of Underwater Things (IoUT). Since they don’t need a direct line of sight and aren’t read-only, they can update in real time, providing researchers with timely insights into marine habitats.
Sensor-enabled systems can collect and wirelessly transmit environmental data using an antenna and a radio frequency integrated circuit chip, automating information aggregation. Industry professionals could use it to form a network of passive, interactive tags.
Revolutionizes Scientific Diving
Scientific dives are necessary for studying marine life, coastal reefs and the ocean bed in person, but they are expensive and prone to weather delays. Divers can only remain submerged for 30 to 60 minutes at a time. ROVs are an excellent alternative because they can be deployed in seconds, remain underwater for hours and collect more granular data.
Recent advances in RFID offer further improvements. One research group used it to combine the capabilities of ROVs and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). It enabled rapid data exchanges and low-power wireless communication between the two vehicles, improving underwater operations.
Improves Ocean Drift Studies
Ocean drift studies are essential for oceanic and climate research. They help pinpoint where shipwrecks will end up, how currents carry trash and which ecosystems oil spills will affect, supporting environmental damage mitigation.
One of the oldest methods in this field involves dropping an object in the water and tracking where it ends up. A drifter floats on the surface, tracking water temperature and location.
With RFID, the kinds of objects scientists can track become much more diverse. They can trace something as small as a pebble on a gravel beach, monitoring the path it follows and the distance it covers. This way, they can find better ways to mitigate coastal erosion.
Streamlines Marine Biology
Marine biology and fisheries studies are essential for protecting endangered species, addressing overfishing and mitigating habitat destruction. Despite their importance, the ocean and its inhabitants remain largely unexplored. An estimated 91 percent of marine species have yet to be classified, and about 80 percent of the ocean has yet to be seen by humans.
Scale is a big part of the problem. Scientists can only cover so much ground, so to speak. With cost-effective, scalable RFID technology, they could expand their monitoring area, making studying fish stocks and migration easier.
RFID technology at 125 kilohertz enables data reception at a penetration depth of 0.61 decibels per meter, with a maximum reception probability of 100 percent between static nodes when an antenna is positioned one meter above sea level. In other words, it is suitable for data exchanges in expansive marine environments.
Simplifies Underwater Surveying
Surveying helps professionals preserve critical ecosystems like coral reefs, mangroves, salt marshes and seagrasses. Ruggedized RFID systems can withstand these environments’ unique—and often harsh—conditions, ensuring long-term reliability.
Unlike cutting-edge tools that leverage edge artificial intelligence systems and cloud computing technology, RFID tags are relatively affordable. They typically range from 30 to 40 cents per unit but can cost under 10 cents with a large minimum order quantity.
Supports Marine Conservation
Marine conservation research often focuses on poaching and overfishing. Many groups hunt endangered species and carelessly deplete fish stocks for profit. Scientists could help stop these harmful practices if they knew where to look. That’s where RFID technology comes in.
This track-and-trace system lets them know where sea life came from and where it is headed. Say a turtle was marked with a waterproof RFID tag before someone illegally captured and sold it. When it reaches its intended market, an RFID reader can pull up its background data and location history. This could give law enforcement enough proof to prosecute the poacher.
It doesn’t even have to be a live sea creature—researchers can tag a dummy sponge, clam, mussel or coral. Since these tags typically hold up to 2,000 kilobytes of data and have a read time of less than 100 milliseconds, processing large numbers of fish would be relatively quick.
The ocean is the most extensive, diverse ecosystem in the world. Waterways like rivers, streams and canals—and water-based habitats lie marshes, ponds and mangroves—are teaming with unique species. There’s so much to study. Thankfully, advanced RFID solutions can help scientists cover more ground and gain more accurate insights.