Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Market Outlook 2032: Key Players Kongsberg Gruppen, Teledyne Technologies, and Saab AB Lead Global Expansion

The global market for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) is entering a period of robust expansion. According to the latest report from Persistence Market Research, the market is expected to be valued at approximately US$3.8 billion in 2025, rising to US$8.1 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.4% during the 2025-2032 period. This reflects the rapidly increasing demand for underwater unmanned platforms capable of operating without human intervention, across a variety of commercial, scientific, and defense applications.

Key growth drivers behind this market acceleration include increasing investment in offshore oil & gas drilling operations, technological advancements in AUV systems (such as better navigation, imaging and autonomy), and heightened focus on maritime security and surveillance. The market is being bolstered by the trend of deploying unmanned systems to explore deeper waters, monitor subsea infrastructure, and support remote operations in challenging marine environments.

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When it comes to segments and regions, large-size AUVs are emerging as the leading product type thanks to their extended endurance, greater payload capacity and deep-sea mission suitability. Regionally, North America is the leading geographical region for the market in 2025, thanks to its high defense spending, mature offshore energy industry and robust technological ecosystem. The combination of strong end-user demand and well-developed infrastructure makes North America the frontrunner, while Asia Pacific is showing promising growth momentum.

The key players studied in the report include:

Key players operating in the global AUV market include:

• The Boeing Company
• Teledyne Technologies Inc.
• L3 Harris Technologies Inc.
• Lockheed Martin Corporation
• Oceaneering International Inc.
• SAAB AB
• Fugro
• General Dynamics Corporation
• International Submarine Engineering
• Kongsberg Gruppen

Key Highlights from the Report

➤ The global AUV market is projected to grow from US$3.8 billion in 2025 to US$8.1 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 11.4% over the forecast period.
➤ Large AUVs hold the highest preference among product types in 2025, capturing the dominant revenue share.
➤ North America is expected to command over 30% of the global revenue share in 2025, driven by strong defense and offshore exploration activity.
➤ Key drivers include rising investments in offshore oil & gas drilling, advancements in AUV technologies (navigation, communication and imaging), and increased emphasis on maritime domain awareness/security.
➤ End-user segments such as oil & gas, defense & security, oceanographic research and environmental monitoring are increasingly adopting AUV solutions.
➤ Market dynamics include strategic collaborations and M&A activity among major players, pushing innovation and expanding product portfolios to address deeper water, longer endurance and more autonomous missions.

Market Segmentation

By AUV Type

• Small
• Medium
• Large

By Technology

• Collision Avoidance
• Communication
• Navigation
• Propulsion
• Imaging

By End-user

• Search & Salvage Operations
• Archeological & Exploration
• Oceanography
• Environmental & Meteorological Research
• Oil & Gas
• Military & Defense

By Region

• North America
• Europe
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East & Africa

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Regional Insights

In terms of geography, North America leads the global autonomous underwater vehicles market in 2025, thanks to its mature defense sector, significant offshore exploration infrastructure and high adoption of advanced robotics and unmanned systems. The presence of large defense contractors and R&D centres further reinforces this leadership.

Meanwhile, Asia Pacific is emerging as a growth hotspot, with increasing investments in underwater infrastructure, offshore oil & gas operations, marine research and maritime security initiatives by many governments. The combination of rising maritime trade, deep-sea resource exploration and military modernisation is driving faster growth in this region. Other regions such as Europe and Middle East & Africa also present opportunities, particularly in niche applications or where coastal infrastructure expansion is underway.

Market Drivers

The autonomous underwater vehicles market is being propelled by several strong growth drivers.

First, the surge in offshore oil & gas drilling and subsea infrastructure development has created demand for advanced inspection, surveying and monitoring tools. Deploying AUVs reduces human risk, enables access to deeper and more hazardous environments and cuts operational costs. As offshore fields move into ultra-deepwater and remote locations, AUVs become essential for efficient operations.

Second, technological advances in AUV systems are lowering barriers to adoption and expanding mission capability. Innovations in navigation systems (inertial, Doppler), autonomous decision-making, imaging (synthetic aperture sonar, multibeam), battery endurance, communications and collision avoidance have enhanced the performance of AUVs. These improvements expand their utility across applications, making them more attractive for end-users who demand high reliability and minimal human supervision.

Market Restraints

Despite promising growth, the AUV market faces some significant restraints.

High cost remains a barrier for many potential adopters. Large AUV platforms involve substantial investment in design, manufacture, deployment and maintenance. Owning and operating these systems demands specialised personnel, support vessels and infrastructure-especially in deep-water or remote environments. These cost factors slow adoption in lower-budget sectors or in developing regions.

Another restraint stems from technical and environmental challenges associated with underwater operations. Underwater communication is limited, electromagnetic waves attenuate quickly in water, navigation systems must contend with currents, obstacles and degraded acoustic signal propagation. Maintenance and reliability in harsh underwater conditions (pressure, salinity, biofouling) also create operational risks. These factors may limit the speed and scale of adoption until solutions mature further.

Market Opportunities

Significant opportunities are appearing across various fronts in the AUV market.

One burgeoning opportunity lies in the expanding demand for marine data, ocean mapping and subsea asset monitoring. As climate change, marine biodiversity, renewable energy and seabed mining become priorities, the need for detailed underwater data is growing. AUVs are well positioned to capture this data autonomously, opening new commercial and research-driven applications.

Another opportunity emerges in defence and maritime security, where autonomous systems are increasingly valued for persistent surveillance, mine warfare and coastline protection. As tensions increase in maritime domains and governments invest in unmanned systems, larger-scale uptake of AUVs is likely. Service providers offering turnkey solutions, long-endurance vehicles and networked autonomous fleets stand to benefit.

Recent developments from the market are:

In March 2024, Teledyne Technologies announced its acquisition of Valeport Holdings, a firm specialising in underwater sensors for environmental, energy, construction and defense end-users, strengthening its underwater systems portfolio.

In February 2024, Kongsberg Gruppen was awarded a contract with the U.S. Defence Innovation Unit (DIU) to rapidly deliver its HUGIN AUV capabilities for U.S. military applications, reflecting growing defence interest in AUV systems.

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Future Opportunities and Growth Prospects

Looking ahead, the autonomous underwater vehicles market offers compelling future opportunities and growth prospects. As global emphasis on ocean exploration, subsea infrastructure and maritime security intensifies, AUVs will play an increasingly strategic role. The push toward deeper, longer-endurance, fully autonomous undersea missions is likely to drive product innovation, cost reduction and new service business models (for example AUV as a service). Collaboration across marine robotics, AI, sensor technology and communications will further unlock new applications. Additionally, emerging regions such as Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East hold strong potential as offshore energy, undersea infrastructure and marine research investments grow. For investors, manufacturers and service providers, staying ahead in autonomy, modular design, mission-adaptable payloads and networked deployments will be key to capitalising on the market's expansion from approximately US$3.8 billion in 2025 to around US$8.1 billion by 2032.

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