Autonomous River Survey Vessel Market Report 2026

The autonomous river survey vessel market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $1.39 billion in 2025 to $1.62 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.5%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to increasing need for inland waterway monitoring, expansion of river infrastructure projects, adoption of GPS-based hydrographic surveys, growth in environmental assessment programs, early investments in autonomous marine platforms.

The autonomous river survey vessel market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $2.98 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.5%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing focus on climate-driven water monitoring, rising demand for continuous river data collection, expansion of smart water management initiatives, growing adoption of autonomous inspection technologies, increased funding for environmental monitoring systems. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing deployment of unmanned survey vessels, rising integration of multi-sensor mapping systems, growing use of real-time river data analytics, expansion of electric and hybrid propulsion vessels, enhanced focus on autonomous navigation accuracy.

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 companies operating in the autonomous river survey vessel market are Kongsberg Maritime, Teledyne Marine, CHC Navigation, OceanAlpha Group Ltd., Seafloor Systems Inc., SeaRobotics, EvoLogics GmbH, Unmanned Survey Solutions, RanMarine Technology, ThayerMahan, ASV Global, HydroSurv Ltd, BlueZone Group, AutoNaut, Maritime Robotics, ECA Group, Fugro, L3Harris Technologies, Atlas Elektronik GmbH, Ocius Technology Ltd, Saildrone Inc, Marine Tech SAS, Subsea Tech, RoboSys Automation, Xylem Inc.

North America was the largest region in the autonomous river survey vessel market in 2025. The regions covered in the autonomous river survey vessel market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the autonomous river survey vessel market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

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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