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Field guide

Underwater drones: UUVs, AUVs, ROVs & gliders

Explore autonomous, remotely operated and gliding underwater vehicles, with operating depth, endurance, sensor configuration and programme maturity clearly distinguished.

Published 20 Sept 2026Updated 20 Sept 2026Sources reviewed 20 Sept 2026

By Defence Drones editorial team

Start with the control model

Uncrewed underwater vehicle is an umbrella term. NOAA distinguishes an autonomous underwater vehicle, which has no physical tether to its operator, from a remotely operated vehicle connected by a cable. Hybrid products can support more than one mode; their profile should state which mode and configuration a claim describes. A tethered inspection robot and a long-endurance autonomous vehicle answer different questions even when both are called underwater drones.

Defence relevance

The library includes vehicles with documented defence, naval survey, inspection or relevant government applications. Mine-countermeasure programmes can combine aerial, surface and underwater components; they should not be represented as a single interchangeable drone. The US Navy's public MCM mission-package description provides one example of this broader system context.

Read depth and endurance together

An operating-depth rating is a specification for the named vehicle and its equipment, not a statement that every mission takes place at that depth. Endurance can be sensitive to speed, sensor use and energy configuration. Payload capacity is not the same as the mass of an installed sensor package. The profile preserves these distinctions and leaves unsupported values undisclosed.

Gliders and larger vehicles

The catalogue identifies underwater gliders separately from propeller-driven survey vehicles and large experimental platforms. Size alone does not establish autonomy, maturity or naval acceptance. Compare systems within a relevant role and retain the conditions in the source, rather than ranking every underwater vehicle by one headline range or depth figure.

Evidence and continuing coverage

A successful dive demonstrates a test, an order establishes a commitment, and a delivered prototype remains distinct from a fleet in operational service. Manufacturer statements and operator announcements are attributed separately. The connected records cover selected programmes and variants; the underwater audit lists remaining countries, vehicle families and unresolved status questions. Wider oceanographic products are included only where their defence or government relevance is explained.

Publication history

  • — Added sourced land and maritime coverage with domain-specific evidence and limitations.

Suggest a correction to this entry →

Follow the evidence

Source types identify who makes the claim. Programme milestones and supplier statements should be read in context.

  1. NOAA: the distinction between an AUV and an ROV (opens in a new tab)Government technical explainer
  2. US Navy: mine-countermeasures mission-package overview (opens in a new tab)Government / operator

Related news

News archive

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Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleFrance

Exail A9-M

A portable autonomous survey vehicle for mine detection and environmental assessment.

Supplier-reported statusRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleFrance

Exail A18-M / SLAM-F derivative

A medium military AUV with a separately contracted extended French SLAM-F configuration.

Order / production commitmentRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleGermany

SeaCat MK1

A modular AUV with optional tethered inspection capability and a German minehunter integration programme.

Order / production commitmentRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleIndia

L&T Amogh / Adamya / Maya AUVs

Three Indian underwater vehicle lines addressing deep survey, compact modular missions and configurable environmental work.

Supplier-reported statusRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleJapan

OZZ-5

Japan's mine-search AUV, with a documented equipment baseline and continuing sonar research.

Development / trialsRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleTürkiye

DERİNGÖZ 100M/600 / 100L/300

Two autonomous survey vehicles with separate depth ratings and configurable batteries.

Development / trialsRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleIceland

Gavia AUV

A modular portable AUV with named naval deliveries and a configurable survey sensor suite.

In service / use documentedRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleIceland

Osprey AUV

A larger modular relative of Gavia with more energy and payload volume.

Supplier-reported statusRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleIceland

SeaRaptor

A deep-water AUV offered for broad survey and defence-related seabed observation.

Order / production commitmentRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleUnited States

L3Harris Iver4 900

A modular, nine-inch-class AUV selected for a US submarine launch-and-recovery development programme.

Order / production commitmentRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleUnited States

L3Harris Iver4 580

A smaller modular Iver AUV with a distinct five-point-eight-inch hull and a dated 2025 specification baseline.

Supplier-reported statusRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleUnited States

General Dynamics Knifefish

A US Navy mine-countermeasure AUV derived from Bluefin technology, with its own sonar, integration and delivery record.

In service / use documentedRead
Underwater · Underwater gliderUnited States

Teledyne Slocum Sentinel

A larger Slocum glider intended for long-duration sensing, with a documented 2026 naval acoustic demonstration.

Development / trialsRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleNorway

Kongsberg HUGIN 3000 / 4500 / 6000

The original deep-water HUGIN survey family, with model-specific energy and depth configurations distinct from Superior and Endurance.

In service / use documentedRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleNorway

Kongsberg MUNIN

A smaller modular survey AUV documented in Kongsberg's 2018 rental catalogue; current production and defence acceptance require updating.

Supplier-reported statusRead
Underwater · Remotely operated underwater vehicleSweden

Saab Double Eagle MDS / SAROV

A mine-countermeasure vehicle family spanning a tether-powered ROV and a battery-capable hybrid ROV/AUV.

Order / production commitmentRead
Underwater · Remotely operated underwater vehicleSweden

Saab Double Eagle MuMNS

A reusable tethered underwater vehicle integrated into French and British mine-countermeasure programmes.

Order / production commitmentRead
Underwater · Remotely operated underwater vehicleSweden

Saab Sea Wasp

A portable tethered inspection and explosive-ordnance-disposal support ROV with documented US prototype deliveries.

In service / use documentedRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleAustralia

C2 Robotics Speartooth

An Australian large autonomous underwater vehicle with a 2026 US commissioning announcement and German export sale.

In service / use documentedRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleCanada

Cellula Envoy / Solus-LR

A long-endurance AUV formerly called Solus-LR, with a manufacturer-reported 2,023 km submerged demonstration in 2026.

Development / trialsRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleCanada

Cellula Guardian / Solus-XR

The current Solus-XR identity, offered as a large modular battery or fuel-cell AUV with an announced confidential defence sale.

Order / production commitmentRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleCanada

ISE Explorer

A modular Canadian survey AUV family with delivered scientific and commercial vehicles and defence-funded docking development.

In service / use documentedRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleCanada

ISE Theseus

A historical Canadian defence AUV built for under-ice cable-laying research and subsequently placed in storage.

In service / use documentedRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleChina

CAS Haidou-1

A Chinese full-ocean-depth research robot with autonomous and remotely operated modes, documented in a 2026 scientific expedition.

In service / use documentedRead
Underwater · Underwater gliderChina

CAS Haiyi gliders

A Chinese buoyancy-driven ocean-observation family, with scientific deployments and distinct deep-diving demonstrators.

In service / use documentedRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleRussia

Rubin Vityaz-D

A Russian full-ocean-depth autonomous research complex, separate from operational naval UUV claims.

In service / use documentedRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleRussia

Rubin Yunona

A small modular survey and search AUV with a manufacturer-published 1,000-metre depth rating.

In service / use documentedRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleUkraine

AMMO Ukraine Marichka

A Ukrainian underwater-vehicle project whose owner publishes prototype evidence and a claimed long-range multi-role concept.

Development / trialsRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleTürkiye

STM NETA 300

A portable autonomous survey vehicle with a Turkish domestic contract and documented sea trials.

Order / production commitmentRead
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleTürkiye

Concept / announced

STM TENGİZ

A large autonomous underwater-vehicle programme unveiled by STM in May 2026.

Concept / announcedRead
Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited States

REMUS 100

Small untethered survey vehicle with a long naval mine-countermeasures history and numerous sensor configurations.

In service / use documentedRead
Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited States

REMUS 300 / Lionfish platform

Portable modular AUV underpinning the US Navy’s Lionfish programme, with battery-dependent size, endurance and range.

In service / use documentedRead
Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited States

REMUS 620

Medium-class modular AUV with multi-day advertised endurance and documented customer procurement and integration trials.

Order / production commitmentRead
Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited States

Bluefin-9

Portable electric AUV combining seabed sonar, imaging and environmental data collection.

Supplier-reported statusRead
Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited States

Bluefin-21

A large, deep-rated survey AUV with interchangeable sensor and battery modules.

Supplier-reported statusRead
Underwater · Underwater systemsNorway

HUGIN Superior

A deep-water survey AUV combining synthetic-aperture sonar with a broad environmental sensor suite.

Supplier-reported statusRead
Underwater · Underwater systemsNorway

HUGIN Endurance

A large AUV designed for long autonomous survey deployments from shore or a support vessel.

Order / production commitmentRead
Underwater · Underwater systemsSweden

Sabertooth

A hovering hybrid underwater vehicle able to perform autonomous survey or remotely controlled inspection tasks.

Supplier-reported statusRead
Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited Kingdom

Seaeye Falcon

A compact tethered inspection ROV with standard and deep-rated configurations.

Supplier-reported statusRead
Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited States

Dive-LD

A modular large-diameter AUV marketed for defence and commercial deep-water missions.

Supplier-reported statusRead
Underwater · Underwater systemsIsrael / Germany

BlueWhale

A large Israeli-developed AUV with German sonar integration and a documented German Navy handover.

In service / use documentedRead
Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited Kingdom

XV Excalibur

The Royal Navy's Project Cetus extra-large underwater technology demonstrator.

Development / trialsRead
Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited States

Slocum G3

A buoyancy-driven oceanographic glider with established naval use and configurable environmental sensing.

In service / use documentedRead
Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited States

Manta Ray

An extra-large underwater technology demonstrator exploring long-duration autonomous operations.

Development / trialsRead
Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited States

Orca XLUUV

The US Navy's extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle programme, developed around modular mission payloads.

Development / trialsRead
Underwater · Underwater systemsAustralia

Ghost Shark

Australia's extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle programme, progressing from prototypes into contracted production.

Order / production commitmentRead