My first reaction was like yours, Monty. However, I suspect Bob Smith meant leaving an ROV behind at the outset, as in not taking it along in the first place - but he of course may clarify otherwise.
It seems unlikely to me that TIGHAR would consider compromising this already lean effort that is planned to examine the seafloor by doing such a thing - is not the study of the 'anomaly' a mission priority?
The Gallagher Highway, etc. seems a relative folly to me - and in fact, the land search generally just seems to pale. This because my belief is that if Earhart did somehow make it to Niku (unproven in my view, and I have to admit some other possibilities do exist, IMHO), the only way to know that in real terms is to finally exhaust the sub-sea search.
In fact, after nearly eight decades, I have very serious doubts about the survial of any potential land-based artifacts that might now turn up to qualify a location such as 'camp zero'. There have been too many decades of human habitation other than and since a possible Earhart presence, and storms and overwash in the years since, as I understand those elements to have come and gone. But maybe the magic bottle with a note lies in the brush somewhere yet. Forgive me, I simply doubt it severely now, as opposed to how I once felt about all this... and confess, when I reimmerse in all this lately, my head often feels like that of the critter in your avatar... LOL!!!
Just two cents worth, sincerely.