Global Autonomous Underwater Vehicles and Remotely Operated Vehicles Market Assessment, By Type [Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, Remotely Operated Vehicles], By Application [Drilling and Construction, Inspection, Repair and Maintenance, Others], By End-user [Oil and Gas, Scientific Research, Others], By Region, Opportunities and Forecast, 2018-2032F

Global autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) and remotely operated vehicles (ROV) market is projected to witness a CAGR of 7.92% during the forecast period 2025-2032, growing from USD 4.15 billion in 2024 to USD 7.64 billion in 2032. The AUV and ROV market has experienced significant growth in recent years due to rising investment in advanced underwater technologies and a boost in exploration and production activities in deepwater and ultra-deepwater environments and is expected to maintain a strong pace of expansion in the coming years. The increase in sophisticated subsea activities like infrastructure installation, pipeline inspection, maintenance, and repair work at offshore is becoming the primary driver behind the application of ROV and AUV in the market.

Report Attribute	Details
Base Year of the Analysis	2024
Forecast Period	2025-2032F
Historical Period	2018-2023
Projected Growth Rate	CAGR of 7.92% between 2025 and 2032
Revenue Forecast in 2032	USD 7.64 billion

In addition, future technological developments are unleashing new possibilities for ROV and AUV in the market. Advances in machine learning, sensor fusion, and batteries are improving the performance, reliability, and mission time of ROV and AUV, facilitating real-time data acquisition and predictive maintenance which is fuelling demand for vehicles in the market. The global transition toward renewable energy, particularly offshore wind and marine energy projects creating a significant growth of ROV and AUV. These vehicles help in inspection of cabling, inspection without human intervention thus driving its demand in the market. Additionally, increasing investments in marine infrastructure and oceanographic research are broadening the scope of ROV and AUV deployment worldwide.

For instance, in December 2024, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) decided to investment more than USD 18 million in 27 R&D projects focused on advancing marine energy and offshore wind technologies with the goal of more widely deploying renewable energy sources. This development highlight that the government is actively taking initiative to boost offshore renewable energy which drive the demand for AUV and ROV in the market.

Expansion of Marine Infrastructure Amplifying Market Growth

With the rising investment in marine infrastructure, creating a demand for ROV and AUV technologies. With the rising shift toward renewable sources, the investment in offshore platforms, wind farms, subsea pipelines, marine cables, and other marine installations has surged on a high rate. Similarly, oil and gas companies are increasingly investing in deepwater and ultra-deepwater projects, which require advanced ROV and AUV for inspection and drilling support for future infrastructure development. Growth in subsea pipelines, floating production systems, and cables increases the need for advanced underwater vehicles for construction, inspection, and maintenance thus driving the demand for the ROV and AUV vehicle in the market.

Moreover, the surge in marine infrastructure construction creates a complex underwater environment which ideally requires ROV and AUV for advanced inspection. The ROV and AUV are able to monitor marine infrastructure in deepwater and harsh conditions where human intervention is risky or impractical thus driving its demand in the market. Additionally, the growing emphasis on sustainability and regulatory compliance in marine infrastructure expansion is creating the demand for ROV and AUV which are equipped with sophisticated sensors and data-gathering tools. Overall, with the expansion of the marine infrastructure landscape is driving the need for reliable and advanced underwater vehicles in the market. Even government is taking initiatives to increase the marine infrastructure for ease of transferring energy from offshore to onshore.

For instance, in May 2024, The World Bank’s Board approved a USD 35 million loan for the first phase of the Enhancing Energy Security through Power Interconnection and Renewable Energy (ESPIRE) Program for Georgia. The ESPIRE Program consists of three  phases with a potential financing envelope of up to USD 500 million that seeks to improve Georgia’s institutional capacity for the development of submarine cable projects, strengthen Georgia’s domestic power transmission system, and establish a direct electricity interconnection between the South Caucasus and Southeast Europe. With the rising investment in marine infrastructure will increase the demand for AUV and ROV in the market.

Penetration of Digital Transformation Within the Oil and Gas Sector Creating Market Opportunity

The digital transformation encompasses the integration of advanced digital technologies in offshore locations to improve productivity and enhance operational efficiency. Digital transformation enables the analysis and automation of various processes which are related to maintenance and production in the sector. The oil and gas sector are embracing digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, which is unlocking new levels of operational efficiency, safety, and making data-driven decision. The ROV and AUV vehicle comes with the real-time monitoring of offshore assets and predictive maintenance thus creating market opportunities in the coming years.

Digital transformation facilitates the use of emerging technologies to interpret the oil well information effectively. Moreover, the vehicle leverages the data to predict vehicle failures, optimize drilling techniques, and enhance recovery strategies, thereby improving the overall performance of the well. ROVs and AUVs with digital transformation support the automation of complex subsea tasks which make it an indispensable tool for modern offshore operations, thus creating its demand in the market. Overall, the digitalization accelerates the demand for advanced, sensor-rich, and AI-enabled underwater vehicles which is expected to surge the demand for ROV and AUV in the market.

For instance, in February 2024, MBARI CoMPAS Lab developed the MOLA AUV which a portable autonomous robot primed which is equipped with advanced sensors and software to collect detailed data about ocean environments. The AUV is used to study marine environments such as rising tide of threats. the ocean exploration community needs nimble, cost-effective tools for measuring and monitoring ocean health regularly which drive the demand for AUV and ROV in the market.

Dominance of Remote Operated Vehicles (ROV) in Global Market

ROV are commanding the majority market share, are extensively utilized for their real-time control and versatility. The ROV dominates in the market due to the expansion of offshore oil and gas exploration and production activities in developed countries. Even the energy companies are looking to invest in the deeper and more challenging subsea environments for the resources. With the rise in the underwater operations, the demand for ROV is increasing in the market as vehicle is able to manage the underwater inspection, maintenance, and infrastructure installation effectively. Further, the rise in offshore renewable energy projects amplifies the demand for ROV for keeping check on the installation of underwater components and cables.

Furthermore, the advanced ROV are equipped with advanced navigation, propulsion, sensor technologies, and AI-driven automation, which enhances its operational efficiency, safety, and ability to function in hazardous or deep-sea environments. Similarly, with the rising environmental monitoring, scientific research, and decommissioning of aging subsea infrastructure further driving the demand for ROV in the market. As a result, ROV are increasingly seen as essential tools for a wide range of underwater operations, driving robust and sustained growth in demand across multiple sectors.

North America Region Dominates the Global Market

Numerous factors account for the growing demand for ROV and AUV in North America, including new advancements in technologies of ROV/AUV and aging offshore infrastructures. North America includes the United States, Canada and Mexico which are engaged in their offshore activities. The oil and exploration activities in Gulf of Mexico require many inspection, repair and maintenance activities, which is pushing demand for ROV and AUV, and a high necessity to comply with regulations to operate safely, will lead high demand for more sophisticated underwater vehicles, creating a substantial market opportunity for ROV and AUV in the North America market.  Companies in United States are investing in the marine cable infrastructure which is driving the growth of AUV and ROV in the market.

For instance, in February 2025, Meta company decided to build the world’s longest underwater cable project, which aims to connect the US, India, South Africa, Brazil and other regions. The tech company said Project Waterworth involved a 50,000 km (31,000-mile) subsea cable, which is longer than the Earth’s circumference. This development highlights that technology companies are expanding the underwater cable infrastructure which will drive the demand for AUV and ROV in the coming years.

Moreover, the growth of offshore renewable energy projects, such as wind farms, is amplifying demand for these vehicles to support installation, inspection, and maintenance of underwater infrastructure. Collectively, these factors are driving sustained growth in the adoption of ROV and AUV technologies across oil and gas, commercial, and scientific sectors in the region.

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Impact of the United States Tariffs on Global Autonomous Underwater Vehicles and Remotely Operated Vehicles Market

• United States tariffs on key components such as electronics, composite materials, sonar systems, batteries, and propulsion units have raised the overall manufacturing cost of AUV and ROV in the United States.
• To mitigate tariff-related cost pressures, manufacturers are increasingly localizing supply chains, adopting modular payload designs, and sourcing components from tariff-neutral or domestic suppliers.
• Tariffs have spurred domestic investment in the United States to develop tariff-insulated or indigenous AUV and ROV technologies, driving innovation in electric drives, modular systems, and AI autonomy.
• The supply landscape is shifting, with non-tariffed regions such as Japan, South Korea, and India emerging as alternative suppliers to maintain stability in the market.

Report Scope

“Global Autonomous Underwater Vehicles and Remotely Operated Vehicles Market Assessment, Opportunities and Forecast, 2018-2032F”, is a comprehensive report by Markets and Data, providing in-depth analysis and qualitative and quantitative assessment of the current state of the global autonomous underwater vehicles and remotely operated vehicles market, industry dynamics, and challenges. The report includes market size, segmental shares, growth trends, opportunities, and forecasts between 2025 and 2032. Additionally, the report profiles the leading players in the industry, mentioning their respective market share, business models, competitive intelligence, etc.

Report Attribute	Details
Segments Covered	Type, Application, End-user
Regions Covered	North America, Europe, South America, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa
Key Companies Profiled	Oceaneering International Inc., Saab AB, Kongsberg Gruppen ASA, Fugro N.V., TechnipFMC plc, Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, DeepOcean AS, DOF Group ASA, Helix Energy Solutions Group, IROV Technologies Private Limited.
Customization Scope	15% free report customization with purchase
Pricing and Purchase Options	Avail the customized purchase options to fulfill your precise research needs
Delivery Format	PDF and Excel through email (subject to the license purchased)

In the report, global autonomous underwater vehicles and remotely operated vehicles market has been segmented into the following categories: 

• By Type
  • Autonomous Underwater Vehicles
  • Remotely Operated Vehicles
• By Application
  • Drilling and Construction
  • Inspection
  • Repair and Maintenance
  • Others
• By End-user
  • Oil and Gas
  • Scientific Research
  • Others
• By Region
  • North America
  • Europe
  • Asia-Pacific
  • South America
  • Middle East and Africa

Key Players Landscape and Outlook

Players in global autonomous underwater vehicles and remotely operated vehicles market are making the strategic moves to strengthen their market position. Companies are heavily investing in technological advancements, particularly in AI-driven autonomy, sensor integration, and extended battery life to enhance operational efficiency and reliability. Companies are also expanding their portfolios with hybrid AUV-ROV systems that offer both autonomous and remote capabilities, catering to diverse offshore applications. Collaborations and partnerships with research institutions, government agencies, and industry stakeholders are fostering innovation and accelerating the development of next-generation vehicles. Product launches, agreements, business expansions, collaborations, and developing technologies are projected to increase competition in the fast-paced market.

For instance, in December 2024, Saab AB signed a contract with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) for delivering autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) for mine countermeasure’s missions. The AUV62-MR is an autonomous underwater vehicle designed for mine countermeasure’s missions in complex environments with high demands on endurance and autonomous capability. The vehicle has capabilities that enable it to quickly map and produce high-resolution sonar images of the seabed over large areas and detect various types of objects. This development helped the company to increase the revenue in the coming years.

Further, in December 2024, Oceaneering International, Inc. received the award for its Freedom Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) technology at Innovation Award at TotalEnergies’ 2024 Supplier Day. The award recognizes Freedom’s contribution to advancing subsea robotics and fostering industry best practices to improve operational efficiency, including by reducing carbon emissions. This development helped the company to increase the goodwill in the market.

Key Players Operating in Global Autonomous Underwater Vehicles and Remotely Operated Vehicles Market are:

• Oceaneering International Inc.
• Saab AB
• Kongsberg Gruppen ASA
• Fugro N.V.
• TechnipFMC plc
• Teledyne Technologies Incorporated
• DeepOcean AS
• DOF Group ASA
• Helix Energy Solutions Group
• IROV Technologies Private Limited

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