Autonomous River Survey Vessel Market Report 2025

The autonomous river survey vessel market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $1.19 billion in 2024 to $1.39 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.9%. During the historic period, growth was driven by rising demand for accurate hydrographic data, greater emphasis on inland waterway infrastructure development, increased adoption of real-time environmental monitoring, a growing need for efficient waterway mapping, and regulatory support for safer and more effective river survey operations.

The autonomous river survey vessel market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $2.56 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.5%. During the forecast period, growth is expected to be driven by increased focus on inland waterway development, rising demand for real-time hydrographic data, growing investments in regional port infrastructure, expanded use in environmental monitoring projects, and government initiatives supporting autonomous marine technologies. Key trends include AI-powered navigation systems, IoT-integrated survey sensors, cloud-based mission planning platforms, blockchain for secure data logging, and predictive analytics for terrain and flow pattern forecasting.

Rising adoption of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) is expected to drive growth in the autonomous river survey vessel market. USVs are autonomous or remotely operated watercraft designed to carry out missions without a human crew onboard. Their increased use is driven by improved operational efficiency, reduced human risk, and the ability to conduct extended, precise maritime missions. Autonomous river survey vessels complement USVs by providing accurate riverbed mapping and real-time environmental data, enhancing navigation safety and mission effectiveness. For example, in January 2024, Naval News reported that the U.S. Navy plans for up to 40% of its fleet to be unmanned by 2050, reflecting the growing deployment of autonomous platforms. This trend is fueling growth in the autonomous river survey vessel market.

Leading companies in the autonomous river survey vessel market are focusing on technological innovations such as AI-powered navigation systems and multi-beam sonar integration to improve survey accuracy and safety in shallow and complex waterways. AI-powered navigation systems enable real-time decision-making, obstacle avoidance, and optimal route planning to enhance operational efficiency. For example, in March 2024, Robosys Automation, a UK-based maritime autonomy software developer, introduced the VOYAGER AI Autopilot, which converts both traditional and electric unmanned surface vessels (USVs) into fully autonomous vessels using AI-driven navigation. The system supports multiple autonomous operation modes and is compatible with vessels ranging from 3 to 12 meters, integrating with both analog and digital steering systems for flexible deployment. Designed for oceanic and hydrographic survey missions, the VOYAGER AI Autopilot enhances precision and operational efficiency, significantly advancing the capabilities of modern survey USVs.

In September 2023, Oceaneering International, a US-based subsea engineering firm, acquired the DriX USV from Exail for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition expanded Oceaneering’s fleet with a proven uncrewed surface vessel, enhancing offshore and nearshore survey capabilities, improving operational efficiency, and reducing environmental impact. Exail, based in France, specializes in autonomous river survey vessels through its DriX series of uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs).

Major players in the autonomous river survey vessel market are Textron Systems, Elbit Systems, Ocean Power Technologies, Saab AB, Kongsberg Maritime, Deep Ocean Engineering, Teledyne Marine, CHC Navigation, Saildrone, XOcean, OceanAlpha Group Ltd., Sirehna, Seasats, Seafloor Systems Inc., SeaRobotics, EvoLogics GmbH, Unmanned Survey Solutions, RanMarine Technology, ThayerMahan, AGISTAR.

North America was the largest region in the autonomous river survey vessel market in 2024. The regions covered in autonomous river survey vessel report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the autonomous river survey vessel market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

The swift increase in U.S. tariffs and the ensuing trade tensions in spring 2025 are significantly affecting the transport services sector by driving up costs for vehicles, spare parts, and fuel, key inputs often sourced from tariff-affected regions. Freight operators, logistics providers, and public transportation systems are facing squeezed profit margins as higher equipment and maintenance costs coincide with limited ability to pass on these expenses to customers due to competitive pressures. The uncertainty has also delayed fleet modernization and the adoption of greener, more efficient vehicles, slowing progress toward sustainability goals. To adapt, transport firms are optimizing route planning, investing in fuel efficiency technologies, renegotiating supplier contracts, and exploring collaborative logistics models to share costs and mitigate the impact of higher tariffs.

An autonomous river survey vessel is a self-operating watercraft designed to navigate rivers and inland waterways without direct human control, mainly for surveying, mapping, and environmental monitoring. These vessels use advanced sensors, GPS, and data collection systems to provide real-time information on river conditions, depth, and aquatic ecosystems, offering greater efficiency, safety, and accuracy compared to traditional manned surveys.

Key types of autonomous river survey vessels include surface vessels and submersible vessels. Surface vessels operate on the water’s surface for transportation, survey, or operational tasks. Propulsion systems can be electric, hybrid, or diesel. Applications include hydrographic surveys, environmental monitoring, water quality assessment, infrastructure inspection, and more, with primary end-users comprising government agencies, research institutes, commercial organizations, and others.

The autonomous river survey vessels market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides autonomous river survey vessels market statistics, including the autonomous river survey vessels industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with the autonomous river survey vessels market share, detailed autonomous river survey vessels market segments, market trends, and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the autonomous river survey vessels industry. This autonomous river survey vessels market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.

The autonomous river survey vessel market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as infrastructure inspection services, sediment and erosion monitoring services, and flood and risk assessment services. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The autonomous river survey vessel market includes sales of modular survey platforms, autonomous catamarans, and unmanned surface vehicles. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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