The global underwater robotics market is poised for substantial expansion, with projections indicating a market size of USD 13.02 billion by 2030. This significant growth is expected to occur at a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.5% over the period from 2023 to 2030, as detailed in a recent report by Grand View Research, Inc. A primary driver fueling this market expansion is the increasing adoption of underwater robotics technology across a diverse range of military and commercial exploration applications. These applications include intelligence gathering, surveillance operations, underwater infrastructure inspection, repair and maintenance activities, navigation and communication tasks, and various other underwater operations. This widespread and increasing utilization of underwater robotics is anticipated to significantly boost market growth throughout the forecast period.

The commercial exploration segment held a dominant position in the market in 2017, indicating the early significance of this sector in driving the adoption of underwater robotic technologies. Looking ahead, the autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) segment is expected to gain significant traction and exhibit substantial growth over the forecast period, with projections indicating a market size exceeding USD 1.48 billion by the year 2025. These sophisticated vehicles find extensive use in the commercial exploration of oil and gas reserves, are crucial assets in various military missions, and play a vital role in a wide array of scientific research activities conducted beneath the ocean's surface.

A key factor contributing to the robust growth of this market is the increasing investments being made in defense sectors across numerous countries worldwide. As a specific example, in 2016, the United States Department of Defense announced a substantial investment of USD 600 million over the five-year period from 2016 to 2020. This significant financial commitment was specifically allocated for the development of variable payload unmanned undersea vehicles capabilities. This investment was primarily undertaken by the U.S. Navy with the strategic objectives of enhancing intelligence gathering capabilities, improving surveillance and rescue operations, bolstering acoustic surveillance capabilities, strengthening mine countermeasure operations, and enhancing anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

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Key highlights from the Underwater Robotics Market Report include:

• The global underwater robotics market was valued at USD 4.49 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.5% from 2023 to 2030, indicating a strong and accelerating growth trajectory.

• The Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) segment accounted for the largest share of the market revenue in 2022, holding a dominant position of 79.8%. This highlights the current prevalence and importance of tethered underwater vehicles in various applications.

• The commercial exploration segment held the largest revenue share in 2022, accounting for 39.6% of the market. Furthermore, this segment is also anticipated to experience the fastest compound annual growth rate (CAGR) during the forecast period, indicating its continued and increasing significance in driving market expansion.

• The Asia Pacific region is estimated to expand at the highest CAGR over the forecast period, signifying the rapid adoption and growth of underwater robotics technologies in this part of the world. Increasing investments in autonomous marine vehicles in key countries within the region, such as China, South Korea, Japan, India, and Australia, are expected to be the primary drivers fueling this impressive regional growth.

List Of Key Players Underwater Robotics Market

• ATLAS MARIDAN Aps

• Deep Ocean Engineering, Inc.

• General Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc.

• ECA GROUP

• International Submarine Engineering Limited

• Eddyfi Technologies

• Oceaneering International, Inc.

• Saab AB

• TechnipFMC plc

• Soil Machine Dynamics Ltd.

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