Underwater Drone Market

Underwater drones, also known as remotely operated vehicles, or ROVs for short, are tethered, extremely agile, submersible drones made specifically for underwater operations. Similar to drones in the air, ROVs underwater are available in multiple sizes. They can be configured to satisfy the specific requirements of a wide range of subsea and maritime applications and industries. Drones operating underwater are also useful for investigating shipwrecks and other underwater archaeological sites. Underwater drones are offering a safer, more economical alternative for researchers to investigate and record these places by giving them a way to do so without requiring them to deploy human divers. Underwater drones are a safe and effective tool for marine and subsea industries, agencies, and organizations to remotely analyze and monitor their assets and conduct inspections while lowering both operational costs and human dangers due to its compact size and 360° omnidirectional flexibility. The first underwater drones were created in the 1950s. They may do tasks for the Navy and research colleges because of their design. The defense budget provided the funding. Drones came under Navy supervision, as was the case with many technologies that emerged from the Cold War. The 1960s saw further advancements in technology. This made it possible for an underwater drone to even find a dropped nuclear bomb. The recovery took place off the coast of Spain and was kept a secret for a long time.
Commercial businesses started using them seriously in the 1970s. In the 1970s, underwater drones even managed to save the crew of a submerged vessel. The need for droves increased due to their efficiency and capacity to perform tasks that humans could not. The 1980s were the most well-known decade that saw the introduction of underwater drones.

Key Players
Bluefin Robotics (United States)
Boeing (United States)
Deep Ocean Engineering, Inc. (United States)
Kongsberg MaritimeLockheed Martin (Norway)
Saab Seaeye (United Kingdom)
SenseFly (Switzerland)
AgEagle (United States)
Skylark Drones (India)
Sogitec (United States)
Teledyne Marine (United States)
VIRA DRONES (Germany)
WingtraWorld View (Switzerland)

Segmentation
By Type
Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs) 
Autonomous underwater vehicle (AUVs)
By Application 
Aquaculture 
Shipping 
Offshore Energy
Utilities
Public Works
Search and Rescue/Recovery
 Defense & Security
Academia
Marine Conservation and Preservation

Market Dynamics
Driver 
Remotely controlled vehicles (ROVs) with the capability to explore and monitor the ocean floor are known as underwater drones. These gadgets have sonar, high-definition cameras, and other sensors that let them to gather information and take pictures from the ocean's depths. They can dive down to a maximum depth of 1000 meters. The capacity of underwater drones to offer a more effective way of monitoring and researching the ocean environment is one of its biggest advantages. Through their ability to gather data in previously unexplored places, they can help scientists better comprehend the condition of the ocean and its inhabitants. Underwater drones can also be used to track harmful algal blooms, detect regions of overfishing, and monitor ocean pollution.
Restraints
Sophisticated underwater drones can be costly to produce and maintain, which restricts their use in some sectors. The use of underwater drones may have several disadvantages. For instance, the noise and vibrations produced by these vehicles have the potential to harm marine life, especially marine animals like whales, porpoises, and dolphins. Furthermore, many underwater drones employ batteries and other parts that contain dangerous compounds that can build up in the water and endanger aquatic life.
Opportunity
It is now evident that the shipping sector is using drone technology more often to find defects. The Port may now get underwater photos of its facilities thanks to this creative technique, which has several benefits for facility upkeep. 
Throughout its operations, Sohar Port uses this state-of-the-art equipment for inspections, guaranteeing worker safety and the dependability of its infrastructure. The port is the first in Oman to begin using this technology in its surveillance framework. The ability to fly these drones for prolonged periods of time and the ability to monitor and evaluate the health of underwater ecosystems without the employment of expensive and risky human divers is made possible by advancements in sensors, design, power, computer vision, and AI-based technologies.

Recent Industry Insight
On September 2023, Advanced Navigation Launches Subsea Drone Hydrus, To Open New Frontiers In Ocean Exploration And Conservation
On June 2022, India to soon deploy underwater drones in Indian Ocean region, South China Sea
On August 2022, Aquatech startup releases findings from underwater drone test
On November 2022, New Torpedo Tube-launched Drones Will Turn U.S. Attack Sub Fleet into ‘UUV Motherships,’ Says Navy
On December 2022, Exail's A18D underwater drone chosen by DGA, the French defense procurement agency, for seabed operations
On March 2023, North Korea tests new nuclear-capable underwater drone
On October 2023, Drone Named After the Terminator Launches a Torpedo from the Air During NATO Exercise
On September 2022, Leidos is developing a new generation of underwater drones
On January 2021, US Navy Preparing To Deploy Largest-Ever Underwater Drone – ‘Snakehead’

Recent Acquisition and Merger
On February 2023, DELAIR acquires NOTILO PLUS and extends its offer for Industry and Defense to the maritime environment with a new business Unit DELAIR MARINE.
On April 2022, Halma acquires underwater ROV maker Deep Trekker
On Nov 2022, Japan to develop underwater drones to lay, remove sea mines

Key Target Audience
End User
Potential Investors
New Entrants
Innovation and R&D
Suppliers and Manufacturers
Others