Chinese Researchers Come Up With Long-Distance Underwater Communication Technology

Communication with submarines when they are submerged is a rather difficult technical task. The main problem is that electromagnetic waves with frequencies used in traditional radio communications are greatly weakened when passing through a thick layer of seawater. In such cases, special technical solutions are required for communication.

Chinese scientists have tested underwater communication technology that allows for contact to be maintained over more than 30,000 sq. km, according to the South China Morning Post.

Researchers have developed an underwater communication technology that will make it possible for submarines and drones to remain in contact at long distances while submerged.

A listening device was able to pick up sound signals from 105 km away at a depth of 200 meters during a field test in the South China Sea.

According to the report, the data transmission rate reached nearly 200 bits per second (bps). The technology uses the bandwidth of very low-frequency radio sent by a command to submarines using land-based antennas.

Last year, South Korean scientists conducted an experiment that noted a transmission rate of 128bps over a distance of 20 km.