North America Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Market
North America Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Market by Shape (Torpedo, Laminar Flow Body, Streamlined Rectangular Style, Multi-Hull), Type (Shallow, Medium, Large), System, Speed, Propulsion, Application, Cost, and Country – Forecast to 2030
OVERVIEW
Source: Secondary Research, Interviews with Experts, MarketsandMarkets Analysis
The North America autonomous underwater vehicle market is expected to reach USD 1.12 billion by 2030, from USD 0.75 billion in 2025, with a CAGR of 8.3%. In terms of volume, it will likely rise from 219 units in 2025 to 313 units by 2030. This growth is driven by increasing naval modernization programs, growing demand for deep-water intelligence and seabed mapping, and expanding use of AUVs in offshore energy inspection and environmental monitoring applications.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
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By CountryThe US is estimated to account for an 80.9% revenue share in 2025.
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By TypeLarge AUVs (>1,000 m) are expected to record the highest CAGR of 15.3% betweeen 2025 and 2030.
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By ApplicationThe military & defense segment is expected to be dominant during the forecast period.
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Competitive LandscapeGeneral Dynamics Mission Systems, Boeing, and Kongsberg were identified as the star players in the North America autonomous underwater vehicle market, given their strong market share and product footprint.
The North America autonomous underwater vehicle market is witnessing accelerated demand driven by defense modernization, offshore energy activities, and the need for high-resolution seabed intelligence.
TRENDS & DISRUPTIONS IMPACTING CUSTOMERS' CUSTOMERS
The impact on customers’ customers in the North America autonomous underwater vehicle market is driven by increased requirements for undersea surveillance, offshore energy infrastructure inspection in the Gulf of Mexico and the US East Coast, and ocean research programs led by NOAA and Canadian hydrographic agencies. End users are shifting toward autonomous, high-endurance, and data-intensive operations to support defense modernization, offshore wind development, and Arctic monitoring. Growing emphasis on AI-enabled navigation, long-duration missions, and advanced digital sensing is enhancing operational efficiency and accelerating demand for next-generation AUV platforms and mission systems across the region.
Source: Secondary Research, Interviews with Experts, MarketsandMarkets Analysis
MARKET DYNAMICS
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Growing naval demand for autonomous undersea surveillance and reconnaissance

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Increasing adoption of AUVs for environmental and seabed mapping programs
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High procurement and lifecycle costs for advanced AUV platforms
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Limited endurance of small and mid-sized AUVs for long-duration missions
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Expansion of AUV use in offshore wind and subsea energy projects in US and Canada
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Need for subsea cable inspection and protection across North American coastlines
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Difficult operating conditions in Arctic and deep-water environments
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Data transfer constraints due to limited underwater communication bandwidth
Source: Secondary Research, Interviews with Experts, MarketsandMarkets Analysis
Driver: Growing naval demand for autonomous undersea surveillance and reconnaissance
North American defense agencies are increasing investments in AUVs to strengthen undersea domain awareness and counter emerging submarine threats. These platforms provide covert, long-duration intelligence collection at lower operational cost than manned assets. This demand is accelerating procurement across both the US and Canada.
Restraint: High procurement and lifecycle costs for advanced AUV platforms
AUVs equipped with high-end navigation, sonar, and propulsion systems require substantial upfront capital and recurring maintenance expenditure. These costs limit adoption among smaller operators and research institutions. Budget constraints can slow fleet expansion, particularly for large and deep-water vehicles.
Opportunity: Expansion of AUV use in offshore wind and subsea energy projects in US and Canada
North America’s accelerating offshore wind build-out and aging subsea energy infrastructure are creating strong demand for autonomous inspection, survey, and maintenance missions. AUVs offer safer and more cost-efficient alternatives to manned diving or ROV operations. This shift is expected to open new commercial revenue pools for AUV suppliers.
Challenge: Difficult operating conditions in Arctic and deep-water environments
Harsh temperatures, ice coverage, and low-visibility waters in the Arctic region pose navigation and endurance challenges for AUV deployments. Deep-water missions also strain sensor performance and increase mission risk. These conditions require specialized designs and raise operational complexity for North American operators.
NORTH AMERICA AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER VEHICLE MARKET: COMMERCIAL USE CASES ACROSS INDUSTRIES
| COMPANY | USE CASE DESCRIPTION | BENEFITS |
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Defense agencies required autonomous systems capable of long-range undersea surveillance, mine countermeasures, and persistent seabed monitoring, as conventional platforms lacked endurance and autonomy for extended missions. | It enables multi-week autonomous operations, expands ISR coverage, increases mission safety by reducing diver involvement, and enhances detection accuracy in contested undersea environments. |
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Environmental and hydrographic agencies needed high-resolution seabed mapping to monitor coastal erosion, marine habitats, and subsea assets across Canadian waters, where traditional survey tools struggled with accuracy and repeatability. | It improves mapping precision, reduces survey time, supports digital seabed models, and enables continuous environmental monitoring with automated data processing. |
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Offshore energy companies in the Gulf of Mexico required reliable AUV-based inspection for pipelines, platforms, and subsea infrastructure, where ROVs faced limitations in coverage, mobility, and operational cost. | It enhances inspection efficiency, reduces operational spending, improves safety by minimizing human intervention, and delivers consistent high-resolution data for maintenance planning. |
Logos and trademarks shown above are the property of their respective owners. Their use here is for informational and illustrative purposes only.
MARKET ECOSYSTEM
The North America autonomous underwater vehicle market ecosystem is shaped by prominent OEMs such as Kongsberg, Boeing, Teledyne, HII, and General Dynamics Mission Systems, supported by specialized innovators like Cellula Robotics, Sunfish, ISE, and MarineNav. These companies integrate advanced sensing suites, high-endurance propulsion, and autonomy software to deliver mission-ready AUV platforms for naval ISR, mine countermeasures, subsea infrastructure inspection, and offshore energy operations.
Logos and trademarks shown above are the property of their respective owners. Their use here is for informational and illustrative purposes only.
MARKET SEGMENTS
Source: Secondary Research, Interviews with Experts, MarketsandMarkets Analysis
North America Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Market, By Type
Large AUVs operating beyond 1,000 m depth dominate the North American market, as their extended endurance, long-range navigation, and higher payload capacity make them suitable for deep-sea exploration, naval ISR missions, and subsea infrastructure surveys. Their ability to perform autonomous operations in complex environments positions them as the preferred class for defense and scientific applications.
North America Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Market, By Shape
The torpedo-shaped configuration holds the largest share due to its hydrodynamic efficiency, reduced drag, and ability to sustain long-endurance missions. This design is widely adopted for military surveillance, oceanographic mapping, and offshore energy inspection, enabling stable operations even in strong currents and deep-water conditions.
North America Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Market, By Propulsion
Electric AUVs surpass other segments, supported by advancements in battery chemistry, improved energy density, and enhanced power management systems. Their low-acoustic signature, high reliability, and suitability for both defense missions and long-duration scientific surveys make them preferred across North America.
North America Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Market, By System
Payload & sensor lead the North American market, driven by demand for high-resolution sonar, synthetic aperture sonar, optical imaging, and advanced oceanographic sensors. These systems are critical for seabed mapping, environmental monitoring, and defense reconnaissance, making them the highest-value components of AUV platforms.
North America Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Market, By Application
Military & defense remain the largest segment, bolstered by rising investments in autonomous ISR, mine countermeasures, and undersea domain awareness programs. North American defense agencies increasingly rely on AUVs to enhance maritime security, monitor strategic waters, and support multi-mission autonomous operations.
REGION
US to be fastest-growing country in North America autonomous underwater vehicle market during forecast period
The US autonomous underwater vehicle market is expected to record the highest CAGR during the forecast period, driven by accelerated adoption of autonomous systems for undersea surveillance, increased investments in next-generation naval capabilities, and high commercial demand for subsea inspection across energy and infrastructure sectors.

NORTH AMERICA AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER VEHICLE MARKET: COMPANY EVALUATION MATRIX
In the North America autonomous underwater vehicle market, Kongsberg (Star) leads with a strong market share and an extensive product footprint, supported by its broad portfolio of mission-ready AUVs deployed across defense, offshore energy, and subsea research programs. HII (Emerging Leader) is strengthening its position through advanced autonomous platforms, payload integration, and expanding naval adoption that improve mission endurance and multi-domain capability. While Kongsberg maintains leadership through technological depth and global deployment scale, HII shows significant potential to advance toward the leaders’ quadrant as demand rises for high-performance, multi-mission autonomous systems across commercial and government sectors.
Source: Secondary Research, Interviews with Experts, MarketsandMarkets Analysis
KEY MARKET PLAYERS
- Kongsberg (US)
- General Dynamics Mission Systems (US)
- Boeing (US)
- Northrop Grumman (US)
- Anduril Industries (US)
- HII (US)
- International Submarine Engineering (Canada)
- Cellula Robotics (Canada)
- Lockheed Martin Corporation (US)
- Phoenix International Holdings (US)
- Oceaneering International (US)
- L3Harris Technologies (US)
- Kraken Robotics (Canada)
- Teledyne Marine (US)
- Sunfish Inc. (US)
- Exocetus Autonomous Systems (US)
- MarineNav Ltd. (Canada)
MARKET SCOPE
| REPORT METRIC | DETAILS |
|---|---|
| Market Size in 2024 (Value) | USD 0.70 BN |
| Market Forecast in 2030 (Value) | USD 1.12 BN |
| Growth Rate | CAGR of 8.3% from 2025–2030 |
| Years Considered | 2021–2030 |
| Base Year | 2024 |
| Forecast Period | 2025-2030 |
| Units Considered | Value (USD MN/BN), Volume (Units) |
| Report Coverage | Revenue forecast, company ranking, competitive landscape, growth factors, and trends |
| Segments Covered |
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| Countries Covered | US, Canada |
WHAT IS IN IT FOR YOU: NORTH AMERICA AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER VEHICLE MARKET REPORT CONTENT GUIDE

DELIVERED CUSTOMIZATIONS
We have successfully delivered the following deep-dive customizations:
| CLIENT REQUEST | CUSTOMIZATION DELIVERED | VALUE ADDS |
|---|---|---|
| Leading Manufacturer | Additional segment breakdown for countries | Additional country-level market sizing tables for segments/sub-segments covered at the regional/global level to gain an understanding of market potential by each country |
| Emerging Leader | Additional company profiles | Competitive information on targeted players to gain granular insights on direct competition |
| Regional Market Leader | Additional country market estimates | Additional country-level deep dive for a more targeted understanding of the total addressable market |
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
- January 2025 : HII (US) announced a new production contract with the US Navy for additional REMUS 300 units under the Maritime Expeditionary Standoff Response program, enhancing autonomous mine countermeasure capabilities and accelerating fleet-wide AUV adoption.
- September 2024 : Kraken Robotics (Canada) secured a contract from the Royal Canadian Navy to supply its KATFISH towed synthetic aperture sonar and support AUV-based seabed intelligence missions, strengthening domestic autonomous underwater surveillance and mapping capabilities.
- June 2024 : L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (US) completed a major upgrade to its Iver4 AUV platform, integrating advanced autonomy software, long-endurance battery modules, and enhanced navigation systems to support US defense, hydrographic, and offshore energy customers.
Table of Contents
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Methodology
The study involved four major activities in estimating the current size of the north america autonomous underwater vehicle market. Exhaustive secondary research was done to collect information on the north america autonomous underwater vehicle market, its adjacent markets, and its parent market. The next step was to validate these findings, assumptions, and sizing with industry experts across the value chain through primary research. Demand-side analysis was conducted to estimate the overall market size. After that, market breakdown and data triangulation procedures were employed to estimate the sizes of various segments and subsegments within the north america autonomous underwater vehicle market.
Secondary Research
During the secondary research process, various sources were consulted to identify and collect information for this study. These include government sources, such as SIPRI; corporate filings, including annual reports, press releases, and investor presentations from companies; white papers, journals, and certified publications; and articles from recognized authors, directories, and databases.
Primary Research
Extensive primary research was conducted after acquiring information regarding the north america autonomous underwater vehicle market scenario through secondary research. Several primary interviews were conducted with market experts from both the demand and supply sides across major countries in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and the Rest of the world. Primary data was collected through questionnaires, emails, and telephonic interviews.
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Market Size Estimation
The top-down and bottom-up approaches were used to estimate and validate the size of the north america autonomous underwater vehicle market. The research methodology used to estimate the size of the market included the following details:
- Key players in the north america autonomous underwater vehicle market were identified through secondary research, and their market shares were determined through a combination of primary and secondary research. This included a study of the annual and financial reports of the top market players, as well as extensive interviews with leaders, including directors, engineers, marketing executives, and other key stakeholders of leading companies operating in the market.
- All percentage shares, splits, and breakdowns were determined using secondary sources and verified through primary sources.
- All possible parameters that affect the markets covered in this research study were accounted for, viewed in extensive detail, verified through primary research, and analyzed to obtain the final quantitative and qualitative data on the north america autonomous underwater vehicle market. This data was consolidated, enhanced with detailed inputs, analyzed by MarketsandMarkets, and presented in this report.
North America Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Market : Top-Down and Bottom-Up Approach

Data Triangulation
After determining the overall market size, the total market was divided into several segments and subsegments. The data triangulation and market breakdown procedures explained below were implemented, wherever applicable, to complete the overall market engineering process and arrive at the estimated market numbers for the market segments and subsegments. The data was triangulated by studying various factors and trends from the demand and supply sides. Additionally, the market size was validated using top-down and bottom-up approaches.
Market Definition
An north america autonomous underwater vehicle is a self-propelled, untethered underwater robotic platform capable of independent navigation and task execution without real-time human control, used for applications such as seafloor mapping, inspection, surveillance, and data collection across defense, research, and commercial domains.
Key Stakeholders
- OEMs
- Component Suppliers
- System Integrators
- Service Providers
- Regulatory and Certification Bodies
- Research and Technology Institutions
- Investors and Funding Agencies
Report Objectives
- To define, describe, and forecast the north america autonomous underwater vehicle market based on type, shape, speed, propulsion, application, system, cost, and region
- To forecast the size of different segments of the market with respect to North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and the Rest of the World
- To identify and analyze key drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges influencing market growth
- To identify industry trends, market trends, and technology trends currently prevailing in the market
- To analyze micro markets with respect to individual growth trends, prospects, and their contribution to the overall market
- To analyze the degree of competition in the market by analyzing recent developments adopted by leading players
- To strategically profile the key market players and comprehensively analyze their core competencies
- To provide a detailed competitive landscape of the market, along with a market share analysis and revenue analysis of key players
Available Customizations
MarketsandMarkets offers the following customizations for this market report:
- Additional country-level analysis of the north america autonomous underwater vehicle market
- Profiling of other market players (up to five)
Product Analysis
- Product matrix, which provides a detailed comparison of the product portfolio of each company in the north america autonomous underwater vehicle market
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Growth opportunities and latent adjacency in North America Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Market