Autonomous Underwater Drone Global Market Report 2025

The autonomous underwater drone market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $1.74 billion in 2024 to $1.99 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.4%. The growth during the historic period can be attributed to increasing defense budgets, expanding offshore oil and gas exploration, rising demand for maritime security, greater need for oceanographic research, and the growing adoption of autonomous systems for mine countermeasures.

The autonomous underwater drone market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $3.37 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.1%. The growth during the forecast period can be attributed to the expanding development of offshore wind farms, rising investments in seabed mining, increasing demand for underwater infrastructure inspection, growing naval modernization programs, and heightened demand for underwater drones. Key trends in the forecast period include advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning, the development of hybrid autonomous underwater systems, innovations in swarm robotics technology, progress in underwater communication systems, and the creation of energy-efficient propulsion technologies.

The growing demand for maritime security is expected to drive the expansion of the autonomous underwater drone market in the coming years. Maritime security involves protecting maritime routes, ports, and waters from threats and unlawful activities to ensure safe and secure operations at sea. This demand is rising due to increasing piracy and maritime crime, which pose risks to global trade and require stronger protection of vessels and sea routes. Autonomous underwater drones contribute to maritime security by patrolling waters, monitoring ports, detecting and tracking suspicious vessels or submarines, and providing real-time surveillance without putting personnel at risk. For example, in January 2023, according to the ICC International Maritime Bureau, a UK-based government agency, maritime security threats in the Singapore Straits have been increasing year over year, with incidents rising to 38 in 2022 from 35 in 2021. Thus, the growing demand for maritime security is propelling the growth of the autonomous underwater drone market.

Leading companies in the autonomous underwater drone market are focusing on technological advancements, particularly in propulsion systems, to enhance endurance, maneuverability, and operational efficiency in complex underwater missions. A propulsion system is the mechanism that generates thrust to move an underwater drone, generally using electric, hybrid, or conventional power sources. For instance, in April 2025, Anduril Industries Inc., a US-based defense company, launched the Copperhead family of intelligent autonomous underwater drones. Designed for rapid-response missions, variants such as Copperhead-M function as torpedo-like munitions deployable in swarms from larger unmanned underwater platforms, offering scalable and cost-effective maritime defense. Other variants support environmental monitoring, infrastructure inspection, and search-and-rescue operations. These innovations aim to enhance naval and commercial underwater operations with greater speed, stealth, and networked autonomy while reducing costs compared to legacy systems.

In February 2022, Anduril Industries Inc., a US-based defense company, acquired Dive Technologies Inc. for an undisclosed amount. Through this acquisition, Anduril Industries Inc. seeks to expand its autonomous systems portfolio into the undersea domain, integrate advanced 3D-printed underwater vehicle technology with its AI-powered autonomy software, and accelerate strategic growth to enhance military and commercial undersea capabilities. Dive Technologies Inc. is a US-based manufacturing company that provides autonomous diving drones.

Major players in the autonomous underwater drone market are Lockheed Martin Corporation, L3Harris Technologies Inc., SAIPEM SpA, Subsea 7 S.A., Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, Kongsberg Discovery AS, General Dynamics Mission Systems Inc., Oceaneering International Inc, Fugro N.V., ATLAS ELEKTRONIK GmbH, Exail Technologies SA, Unique Group FZC, Deep Trekker Inc, GAO Tek Inc., Deep Ocean Engineering Inc., ecoSUB Robotics Ltd., Hydromea SA, Notilo Plus SAS, Ocean Aero Inc., RTsys SAS, SEABER SAS, VATN Systems AS.

North America was the largest region in the autonomous underwater drone market in 2024. The regions covered in autonomous underwater drone report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.

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 sharp hike in U.S. tariffs and the associated trade disputes in spring 2025 are notably impacting the aerospace and defense sector by raising costs for titanium, carbon fiber composites, and avionics materials largely sourced from global suppliers. Defense contractors, locked into fixed-price government contracts, absorb these added costs, while commercial aerospace firms face airline pushback on higher aircraft prices. Delays in component shipments due to customs bottlenecks further disrupt tight production schedules for jets and satellites. The industry is responding by stockpiling critical materials, seeking waivers for defense-related imports, and collaborating with allied nations to diversify supply chain.

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

An autonomous underwater drone is a robotic device engineered to operate underwater independently, without the need for real-time human control. It navigates using pre-programmed instructions and onboard sensors, gathering data or performing tasks such as mapping, environmental monitoring, or inspections. These drones function as self-sufficient underwater robots capable of executing complex missions in challenging aquatic environments.

The primary types of autonomous underwater drones include hybrid drones, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Hybrid drones combine the capabilities of both autonomous operation and remote control. These systems are categorized based on power sources, such as electric and hybrid. By size, they are classified as large, medium, and small. Their applications span defense and security, commercial exploration, scientific research, and more, serving end users across industries including oil and gas, environmental monitoring, oceanography, aquaculture, and others.

The countries covered in the autonomous underwater drone market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The autonomous underwater drone market consists of sales of autonomous underwater vehicles, remotely operated underwater vehicles, and hybrid underwater drones. 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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