NOAA's National Ocean Service

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From training to tactic: NOS harnesses drone potential for oil spill response

Oil spills are a race against time and every second matters. To accelerate the response to oil spills and other disasters, NOS has partnered with the U.S. Coast Guard to launch new drones that will serve as a powerful new tool for environmental protection.

RESPONSE AND RESTORATION

The Roberts radio current meter. (Image credit: NOAA Heritage)

Undercurrents of innovation: History of the Roberts radio current meter

This current meter system took one of NOAA’s predecessor agencies, the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, from manual to automatic instrumentation data collection, advancing both physical oceanography and marine navigation technologies.

HERITAGE

Rear Admiral (select) Christiaan van Westendorp to serve as the next Coast Survey Director

The Director of the Office of Coast Survey leads NOAA’s ocean mapping and nautical charting program, which includes surveying the seafloor, developing navigation products, services, and data-driven models, and reopening ports and waterways following disasters.

CHARTING

Satellite image of a large hurricane with a clear eyewall.

Hurricane season 2025: NOS innovations in preparedness and response

The 2025 hurricane season has officially concluded, and NOS teams were there every step of the way, helping on the ground, from the sea, and in the clouds.

NOAA tide gauges support tsunami response

Real-time data from NOAA’s tide gauges enables the quick detection of changing water levels caused by tsunamis. This improves the accuracy of forecasts and allows emergency managers and communities to make informed decisions and take life-saving measures with confidence.

Corals Week 2025

Each December, we celebrate the beauty and significance of coral reef ecosystems. Coral reefs are the most diverse habitats on the planet. They serve as homes for thousands of species of marine life and people rely on them for food, coastal protection, and jobs.

Around the Ocean Service

Investigating PFAS in Alaskan salmon and rainbow trout
COASTAL SCIENCE
Recycled oyster shells revive wild populations in New Jersey
COASTAL MANAGEMENT
Drone operations in Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary
SANCTUARIES
New environmental sensitivity index data for Lake Michigan
response and restoration

Official websites use .gov

Secure websites use HTTPS

NOAA’s National Ocean Service

tides and currents

nautical charts

career profiles

harmful algal blooms

sea level
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