1. Deep-sea exploration relies on cutting-edge technology, which generally requires expensive instruments, highly specialized technicians and ship time. The increasing need to gather large-scale data on the distribution and conservation status of deep-sea benthic species and habitats could benefit from the availability of low-cost imaging tools to facilitate the access to the deep sea world-wide.
2. Here we describe the Azor drift-cam, a cost-effective video platform designed to conduct rapid appraisals of deep-sea benthic habitats. Built with off-the-shelf components, the Azor drift-cam should be regarded as an effective, affordable, simple-to-assemble, easy-to-operate, resilient, operational and reliable tool to visually explore the deep sea to 1,000 m depth.
3. Its performance was assessed during the MapGES_2019 cruise, where 135 successful dives between 100 and 800 m depth were carried out in 22 working days, providing over 100 hr of images for almost 80 km of seabed, mostly in areas that had never been explored before.
4. The system does not aim to become a substitute for more sophisticated underwater video and photography platforms, such as ROVs, AUVs or manned submersibles. Rather, it aims to provide the means to perform quick assessments of deep-sea benthic habitats in a simple and affordable manner.
5. This drift-cam system has the potential to make deep-sea exploration more accessible, playing an important role in the Deep-Ocean Observing Strategy and measuring some of the Essential Ocean Variables for deep-sea monitoring and conservation strategies.

中文翻译：

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用于快速评估深海底栖栖息地的经济高效的视频系统：Azor 漂移摄像头

1. 深海勘探依赖于尖端技术，通常需要昂贵的仪器、高度专业化的技术人员和船期。越来越需要收集有关深海底栖物种和栖息地分布和保护状况的大规模数据，这可能会受益于低成本成像工具的可用性，以促进进入世界范围内的深海。
2. 在这里，我们描述了 Azor 漂移摄像头，这是一个具有成本效益的视频平台，旨在对深海底栖栖息地进行快速评估。Azor 漂移凸轮采用现成的组件制造，应被视为一种有效、价格合理、易于组装、易于操作、有弹性、可操作且可靠的工具，可用于直观地探索深海 1,000 米深度。
3. 在 MapGES_2019 巡航期间对其性能进行了评估，其中在 22 个工作日内成功进行了 100 至 800 m 深度之间的 135 次潜水，为近 80 公里的海床提供了超过 100 小时的图像，主要是在以前从未探索过的区域。
4. 该系统的目标不是成为更复杂的水下视频和摄影平台的替代品，例如 ROV、AUV 或载人潜水器。相反，它旨在提供以简单且负担得起的方式对深海底栖栖息地进行快速评估的手段。
5. 这种漂移摄像头系统有可能使深海探索更容易进行，在深海观测战略中发挥重要作用，并测量一些用于深海监测和保护战略的基本海洋变量。