Asia-Pacific Underwater Unmanned Vehicle Market – Industry Trends and Forecast to 2030

Asia-Pacific Underwater Unmanned Vehicle Market, By Type (Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), Hybrid Underwater Vehicle (HUV)), Product Type (Heavy Work Class Vehicle, Work Class Vehicle, High-Capacity Electric Vehicle, Small Vehicles, Man Portable, Light Weight Vehicles, Heavy Weight Vehicles, Large Vehicles), Components (Inertial Navigation Systems, Cameras, Lighting Systems, Sensors, Video Screens, Synthetic Aperture Sonar, Others), Shape (Torpedo, Laminar Flow Body, Streamlined Rectangular Style, Multi hull), Propulsion System (Hybrid Systems, Electric Systems, Non-Electric Systems, Mechanical Systems, Others), Operating Depth (1000-3000m, 200-1000m, less than 200m, more than 3000m), Size Range (HWV (12.75-21), LWV (9-12.75), Man-Portable (3-9), Large (>36)), Application (Army and Defense, ISR, Mine Countermeasures, Anti-Submarine Warfare, Detection, Inspection, Navigation, Accident Investigation, Petroleum and Gas, Environmental Security and tracking, Oceanography, Archaeology and Exploration, Search and Rescue Activities, Commercial Exploration, Scientific Research, Miscellaneous, Other) Technology (Collision Avoidance, Navigation, Communication, Imagery, Propulsion), Payload (Sensors,  Synthetic Aperture Sonar, Cameras, Inertial Navigation Systems , Echo Sounders, Acoustic Doppler Current profilers, Others) – Industry Trends and Forecast to 2030.

Asia-Pacific Underwater Unmanned Vehicle Market Analysis and Size

The market for defense-related ocean surveillance is driven by unmanned marine vehicles' superior surveillance, identification, and interception capabilities over conventional systems. They can be equipped with stabilized weapon systems, surveillance systems, and electro-optical tracking systems that can monitor using infrared vision both at night and during the day. Improved interfaces, platform interoperability, and sensors would significantly decrease costs. The need for unmanned marine vehicles will be driven by a greater emphasis on identifying the various stable states of earth's systems, learning what causes evolution from one steady state to another, and discovering connections between the states of seemingly unrelated systems such as climate and tectonic activity.

Data Bridge Market Research analyses that the underwater unmanned vehicle market, valued at USD 1,241.80 million in 2022, will reach USD 4,071.15 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 16% during the forecast period of 2023 to 2030. In addition to the market insights such as market value, growth rate, market segments, geographical coverage, market players, and market scenario, the market report curated by the Data Bridge Market Research team includes in-depth expert analysis, import/export analysis, pricing analysis, production consumption analysis, and pestle analysis.

Asia-Pacific Underwater Unmanned Vehicle Market Scope and Segmentation  

Market Definition

An underwater vehicle that can operate remotely or autonomously without human input is referred to as an unmanned underwater vehicle (UVV). These are essential for activities involving underwater exploration because manual exploration presents a number of challenges. These vehicles are equipped with sensors for sonar, thrusters, cameras, and other equipment. Autonomous underwater vehicles, or AUVs, are self-propelled, unmanned, untethered underwater vehicles that are capable of carrying out simple tasks without the assistance of a human. In order to map the ocean floor or describe the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the water, AUVs are frequently used as survey platforms.

Asia-Pacific Underwater Unmanned Vehicle Market Dynamics

Drivers

• Expansion of the smart device market encourages the creation of operational and risk management.

Changes in operational and risk management have resulted from the introduction smart devices. Modern imaging and navigation systems are designed to operate safely under challenging circumstances.  Increased government spending on military research and development, defense, and ocean exploration is also anticipated to hasten market growth. During the forecast period, the quick development of technology is also expected to fuel market expansion. As an illustration, in October 2021, Water Linked and QYSEA Technology Co., Ltd., a manufacturer of remotely operated vehicles, will work together to outfit QYSEA's ROV with advanced underwater positioning sensors. These elements are anticipated to affect the market during the forecast period favorably.

• Rising demand in the oil and gas industry will propel the global unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) market.

Separate from surface vessels, unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) have proven useful for marine drilling operations. Over the past five years, the use of small, portable unmanned underwater vehicles has significantly increased in the oil and gas sector. The ECA Firm, for instance, has an agreement with Petrus Resources, a major supplier of oil and gas facilities, to provide the service of an A18D AUV for inspecting and surveying facilities. The demand for unmanned underwater vehicles from oil and gas producers is anticipated to increase significantly during the forecast period, supporting industry expansion.

Opportunities

• Rising demand as a result of advancements in battery life and functionality

The battery life and operation capabilities of unmanned underwater vehicles are anticipated to increase, giving them a stronger foothold in the commercial market. UUVs have a battery life of fewer than 24 hours, which is significantly decreased if required to operate in deep waters because thrusters consume most of the power in these vehicles. The time and effort needed to swap out old batteries for new ones while conducting ongoing underwater operations can be reduced with the help of these technologies for UUV operators. Unmanned underwater vehicles can be more capable of manipulating objects, enabling them to modify their operations throughout underwater missions. As a result, high-speed unmanned underwater vehicles use NiMH batteries more frequently.

• The on-board sensor allows transporting electrical equipment

The ability of unmanned underwater vehicles to transport electrical equipment for imaging and monitoring is enhanced by the sensors on board. Additionally, they reduce the power requirements of the onboard electronic components, opening the door for developments such as underwater AUV recharge. For instance, WiBotic (U.S.) offers battery intelligence and underwater wireless power solutions. Kongsberg Maritime (Norway) provides the EELUME AUV, which can be permanently positioned on the seabed and charge underwater.

• Rising worries about maritime security and cross-border naval operations create demand

Terrorism and maritime privacy are severe issues for shipping and have high human and financial costs. Port security, drug trafficking on ships, and undocumented migrants are all rising. Unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) are being used for more missions and applications by the navy and defense departments. In addition to being used for mine countermeasure (MCM) operations and anti-submarine warfare (ASW), autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) are frequently built to be deployed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations thus creating a market expansion for such products.

Restraints/Challenges

• The lack of an efficient communication system restricts market expansion.

Unmanned underwater vehicles are cutting-edge naval technologies with high-tech parts that can be operated autonomously for various underwater applications. The UV is equipped with sensors and navigation systems connected via signal transmission for real-time communication control of speed, direction, and data gathering. Through the information being distorted underwater, communication and signal transmission are one of the main issues with unmanned underwater vehicles.

• High prices prevent the market from expanding.

AUVs are expensive maritime platforms. For instance, the A18 AUV from the ECA GROUP (France) has a maximum difficulty rating of 3,000 meters and costs between $ 2 and $ 6 million. Acquiring retired AUVs for surveying missions increases the cost of exploration and surveying operations. AUVs are more frequently used for simpler tasks such as ecological monitoring, but despite this, their high maintenance, production, research and development, and system difficulty costs prevent them from being widely adopted. An AUV's mounted instruments can cost between $ 5,000 and $ 100,000 each, but their ASP is only $ 70,000. At sea, running an AUV costs $1,000 per day. As a result, if a thirty-day mission's operational budget is calculated, it equals $ 30,000, or about 43% of the AUV's typical selling price. As a result, the growth of the market for UUVs is constrained by the high operational costs of AUVs.

• Slow underwater survey speeds can limit growth.

Slow underwater survey speeds is one of the difficulties UUVs face. Electromagnetic (EM) waves cannot operate appropriately in underwater habitats deeper than 200 meters due to the conductivity of saltwater. Unmanned Underwater Vehicles use these acoustic waves, which travel slowly, to conduct deep-water surveys. Unmanned underwater vehicles do not use FSO waves because of their short range. Unmanned underwater vehicles' signals are further impacted by the water's refraction, absorption, and scattering, thus limits the underwater unmanned vehicle market from growing.

This underwater unmanned vehicle market report provides details of new recent developments, trade regulations, import-export analysis, production analysis, value chain optimization, market share, impact of domestic and localized market players, analyses opportunities in terms of emerging revenue pockets, changes in market regulations, strategic market growth analysis, market size, category market growths, application niches and dominance, product approvals, product launches, geographic expansions, technological innovations in the market. To gain more info on the underwater unmanned vehicle market contact Data Bridge Market Research for an Analyst Brief, our team will help you take an informed market decision to achieve market growth.

Recent Developments

• In 2021, the next-generation Utility Class ASV, the SR-Utility 3.0, was unveiled by Sea Robotics Corporation. By giving expert surveyors a configurable platform that supports swappable payloads and sensors and incorporates existing instrumentation, the newest addition to the SRC portfolio aims to increase the scope and versatility of unmanned coastal marine survey activities.
• In 2021, under a contract given by the Navy on August 26, 2019, General Dynamics Mission Systems delivered the Knifefish surface mine countermeasure unmanned underwater vehicle system. The five Knifefish systems (10 total UUVs) and support equipment are to be purchased under the terms of the contract, which was immediately given after a successful Milestone C decision and approval to begin low-rate initial production (LRIP).
• In 2021, the Navy and the Marine Corps published the Unmanned Campaign Framework to direct their investments in and integration of unmanned platforms in the US. The demand for unmanned marine vehicles for defense will also grow as investments in the navy and the nation's defense systems increase.

Asia-Pacific Underwater Unmanned Vehicle Market Scope

The underwater unmanned vehicle market is segmented on the basis of type, product type, component, propulsion system, operating depth, size range, application, technology, and payload. The growth amongst these segments will help you analyze meagre growth segments in the industries and provide the users with a valuable market overview and market insights to help them make strategic decisions for identifying core market applications.

Type

• Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV)
• Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV)
• Shallow
• Medium
• Large
• Hybrid Underwater Vehicle (HUV)

Product Type

• Heavy Work Class Vehicle
• Work Class Vehicle
• High-Capacity Electric Vehicle
• Small Vehicles
• Man Portable
• Light Weight Vehicles
• Heavy Weight Vehicles
• Large Vehicles

Components

• Inertial Navigation Systems
• Cameras
• Lighting Systems
• Sensors
• Video Screens
• Synthetic Aperture Sonar
• Others

Shape

• Torpedo
• Laminar Flow Body
• Streamlined Rectangular Style
• Multi hull

Propulsion System

• Hybrid Systems
• Electric Systems
• Non-Electric systems
• Mechanical Systems
• Others

Operating Depth

• 1000-3000m
• 200-1000m
• less than 200m
• more than 3000m

Size Range

• HWV (12.75-21)
• LWV (9-12.75)
• Man-Portable (3-9)
• Large (>36)

Application

• Army and Defense
• ISR
• Intelligence
• Surveillance
• Reconnaissance
• Mine Countermeasures
• Anti-submarine warfare
• Detection
• Inspection
• Navigation
• Accident Investigation
• Petroleum and Gas
• Environmental Security and tracking
• Oceanography
• Archaeology and Exploration
• Search and Rescue Activities
• Commercial Exploration
• Scientific Research
• Miscellaneous
• Other

Technology

• Collision Avoidance
• Navigation
• Communication
• Imagery
• Propulsion

Payload

• Sensors
• Synthetic Aperture Sonar
• Cameras
• Inertial Navigation Systems
• Echo Sounders
• Acoustic Doppler Current profilers
• Others

Underwater Unmanned Vehicle Market Regional Analysis/Insights

The underwater unmanned vehicle market is analysed and market size insights and trends are provided by country, type, product type, component, and shape, propulsion system, operating depth, size range, application, technology and payload as referenced above.

The countries covered in the underwater unmanned vehicle market report are China, Japan, India, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific (APAC) in the Asia-Pacific (APAC).

China dominates the market and will continue to flourish its trend of dominance during the forecast period in Europe. The major factor attributable to the region’s dominance is as China is developing and implementing newer technologies, which are marketed as the next generation of autonomous underwater vehicles. Additionally, several innovation and research centers have opened to take on and develop the UUV design.

Further, Japan and India are also adopting new technologies to create autonomous underwater vehicles that can be controlled remotely as security concerns grow to defend borders from outside threats and as oceanography and research demand rise.

The country section of the report also provides individual market impacting factors and changes in regulation in the market domestically that impacts the current and future trends of the market. Data points such as down-stream and upstream value chain analysis, technical trends and porter's five forces analysis, case studies are some of the pointers used to forecast the market scenario for individual countries. Also, the presence and availability of global brands and their challenges faced due to large or scarce competition from local and domestic brands, impact of domestic tariffs and trade routes are considered while providing forecast analysis of the country data.

Competitive Landscape and Underwater Unmanned Vehicle Market Share Analysis

The underwater unmanned vehicle market competitive landscape provides details by competitor. Details included are company overview, company financials, revenue generated, market potential, investment in research and development, new market initiatives, global presence, production sites and facilities, production capacities, company strengths and weaknesses, product launch, product width and breadth, application dominance. The above data points provided are only related to the companies' focus related to underwater unmanned vehicle market.

Some of the major players operating in the underwater unmanned vehicle market are:

• ORPC, Inc. (U.S.)
• Lockheed Martin Corporation (U.S.)
• Saab AB (Sweden)
• Kongsberg Maritime (Norway)
• Boeing (U.S.)
• Northrop Grumman (U.S.)
• BAE Systems (U.K.)
• ATLAS ELEKTRONIK GmbH (Germany)
• International Submarine Engineering Limited (Canada)
• Teledyne Technologies Incorporated. (U.S.)
• Oceaneering International, Inc. (U.S.)
• SUBSEA7 (U.K.)
• Boston Engineering (U.S.)
• ECA GROUP (France)
• HII (U.S.)
• Modus Subsea Services (U.K.)
• L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (U.S.)
• EchoBlue Ltd (U.K.)
• Unique Group. (U.A.E)
• Thales (France)