Unmanned Surface Vehicles Market Size (2022 -2030)

The market for unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) is expected to grow from USD 637.29 million in 2022 to USD 1,674.03 million in 2030 and will grow at a CAGR of 13.37% from 2023 - 2030. Factors contributing to the market growth include the rising demand for unmanned surface vehicles in the research of hydrography and oceanography. The wide applications of unmanned surface vehicles in the defense sector and the growing need for regular monitoring of water qualities are also fueling the growth.

Unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) also known as autonomous surface vehicles are machines that can function remotely on the surface of a waterbody and are capable of operating with the least human involvement. Unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) are more flexible and cost-efficient as compared to full manned ships and have a wide range of applications in the maritime sector. The USVs are taken into use for conducting research related to hydrography and oceanology to monitor water bodies to keep a check on quality, temperature, salinity, pH values, and also to understand the dynamics of the ocean. 

The USVs are also widely being used for a variety of military and commercial applications as well. The rising occurrences of terrorism, cross-border dispute, and conflict across the countries have necessitated the government and defense sector to adopt the USVs for security and surveillance purposes. Defense originations are using USVs for border and coastal zone patrol, submarine hunting, minesweeping, ISR, offensive capabilities, and seaborne targets thus contributing significantly to the growth of the market. On the other hand, the commercial application includes the exploration of minerals, oil, and gas resources. They can be installed to inspect and capture specific events and locations and can communicate the data in real-time and provide a mechanism for quantifying natural variability to drive and calibrate exploration and research efforts and thus are substantially influencing the market towards a positive trend. However, the manufacturing cost of the unmanned surface vehicle can act as a major restrain for the market growth. Many small sizes and cost-efficient systems have been launched in the unmanned vehicle market sector which can easily replace unmanned surface vehicles.

MARKET DRIVERS
With the rise in conflicts between countries and increase terrorism the USVs are highly used by military organizations for security and surveillance purposes. USVs are deployed for submarine hunting, minesweeping, and patrolling and are resulting to be more efficient in operations when compared to the full manned vessel. The USVs can also be equipped with several systems such as radar, sonar, imaging systems, ISR systems, environmental sensors, and dataloggers and can be deployed to conduct research related to hydrography and oceanography hence are acting as proponents to the market growth.

MARKET RESTRAINTS
The cost of manufacturing an unmanned surface vehicle is high as compared to the other unmanned systems like unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) which is acting as a prime reason for limiting the adoption of the USVs. Also, there are fewer companies that manufacture USVs when compared to other unmanned systems. Due to this, the manufacturers are aiming for reducing their procurement as USVs are slowly being replaced by small UUVs for various operations like search and exploration activities, rescue missions, and oil and gas exploration among others.

Market Segmentation

Unmanned Surface Vehicles Market - By Type:

• Surface
• Sub-Surface

Among these, the surface type sector holds the major share due to the rising demand for vehicles for commercial and defense applications such as ISR, marine surveys, and firefighting, among others. The subsurface market is anticipated to substantially grow in the coming years as more vehicles are used for applications like seabed mapping, environment monitoring, bridge inspections, and other activities related to infrastructure inspection and assessment.

Unmanned Surface Vehicles Market - By Systems:

• Propulsion
• Communication
• Payload
• Chassis Material
• Component
• Software

The communication segment held 14% of the market share in 2022. Acoustic as well as satellite communication are available for USVs to communicate. Navigation information is critical for effective mission completion because navigation information such as the location of USVs is critical for their safe operations and recovery. The communication segment witnessed significant growth due to the introduction of advanced wifi and satellite systems for long-range operations, which propels the growth of the segment during the forecast period.

Unmanned Surface Vehicles Market - By Mode of Operation:

• Autonomous Surface Vehicle
• Remotely Operated Surface Vehicle

Among these, the Remotely Operated Surface Vehicle captured the major market share and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.35% during the forecast period. The autonomous segment has also shown significant growth as the USVs are being widely used in defense and commercial applications. They can be installed to inspect and capture specific events and locations and can communicate the data in real-time and provide a mechanism for quantifying natural variability to drive and calibrate exploration and research efforts and thus are substantially influencing the market towards a positive trend.

Unmanned Surface Vehicles Market - By Size:

• Small
• Medium
• Large

Sizes of vehicles vary from small which is less than five meters, Medium whose size lies between five to seven meters and large vehicle sizes could be up to twenty meters.  Due to increased demand for big USVs for defense and commercial operations such as ISR activities, combat operations, and freight transportation, the large USVs market is expected to rise significantly.

Unmanned Surface Vehicles Market - By Hull Type:

• Kayak (Single Hulls)
• Catamaran (Twin Hulls)
• Trimaran (Triple Hulls)
• Rigid Inflatable Hull

Among these, Kayak, a single-hull type segment, holds the major share in the global USVs market and fastest-growing segment with a CAGR of 12.75% during the forecast period. Factors like easy mounting and loading capabilities are aiding the market growth of the single-hull type segment. The twin hulls segment has also driven the market growth because of its greater system stability.

Unmanned Surface Vehicles Market - By Application:

• Defense
• Scientific Research
• Commercial
• Others

The Unmanned Surface Vehicle market has varied applications. In 2022, the defense sector is expected to account for over 50% of the market share. The use of USVs for defense applications is expanding in countries including the United States, Canada, France, and China, which is fueling the market's growth. The defense application includes ISR, Mine Countermeasure, Firefighting, Maritime Security, Electronic Warfare, Anti-Submarine Warfare, and Maritime Interdiction Operation Support among others. The defense sector of the market is predicted to increase significantly owing to the rise in demand for USVs for maritime monitoring grows. The ISR subsegment within the defense application segment is expected to grow at the fastest rate throughout the projection period. USVs may be used to collect minerals like cobalt, zinc, and magnesium, which are utilized in the manufacture of smartphones, computers, and hybrid automobiles, among other things, thus driving the commercial sector growth.

Unmanned Surface Vehicles Market - By Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• Others

By geography, North America dominates the unmanned surface vehicle industry, followed by Asia-Pacific and Europe. North America emerged as the largest market for the Unmanned Surface Vehicle and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 12.75% during the forecast period. The major economy in the region such as the USA has increased their military spending to guard their water boundaries over the past few years due to the rising geopolitical tensions that are driving the growth in the market. 

The European market also holds a substantial market share and is expected to grow significantly during the forecast period. Factors attributing to the growth in the region include the usage of USVs by navies for mine countermeasures (MCM), ISR activities, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and oceanographic applications. 

The Asia Pacific region is also a major contributor to the growth of the unmanned surface vehicles market due to increasing defense expenditure from countries such as China and India. Asia Pacific market is anticipated to have the fastest growth in terms of revenue in near future. 

The demand generated from military and commercial operations is fueling the market growth. Middle East witnessed moderate growth due to increasing demand from countries such as UAE, Israel, and others for oil & gas exploration applications.

Key Players

1. 5G International, Inc.
2. ASV Global
3. Atlas Elektronik GmbH
4. Eca Group
5. Elbit Systems Ltd.
6. Liquid Robotics, Inc.
7. Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.
8. Searobotics
9. Teledyne Technologies, Inc.
10. Textron, Inc.

The Unmanned surface vehicle market is very specialized and is highly consolidated due to the presence of big market players.Prominent players in the market have adopted various strategies comprising investment in R&D, collaborations, partnerships, regional business expansion, and new product launches.

NOTABLE HAPPENINGS IN THE UNMANNED SURFACE VEHICLES MARKET

• Product Launch - L3Harris Technologies was awarded a contract in July 2022 to produce the first Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) designed particularly to safeguard the environment and emergency responders during oil spill response operations.
• Expansion - Elbit Systems was awarded a contract to provide Seagull USVs (Unmanned Surface Vehicles) to the Navy of an Asia Pacific nation in January 2022. Elbit Systems will provide Seagull USV systems that are specifically designed for Mine Counter Measures (MCM) operations, with added features such as Anti-Submarine Warfare technology. 
• Expansion - L3Harris Technologies was granted a contract for the Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MUSV) programmer by the US Navy in August 2022.

COVD-19 impact on Unmanned Surface Vehicles Market

The global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruptions in most industries and the manufacturing industry was severely hit. The lockdown imposed due to the pandemic caused the major manufacturing sectors to suspend their operations. The lockdown imposed by the government of several countries has slowed the production and the import and export of raw materials and finished products. The restriction created a supply chain crisis during the pandemic as there was a shortage of labor, and raw materials, and the localized shutdown of a few production plants decelerated the overall market growth. The research and commercial activities were halted which negatively affected the growth of the market. However, in the upcoming years, the market is expected to bounce back and gain momentum due to the relaxation of restrictions and restarting of the R&D and manufacturing activities. All these factors are working as proponents for the growth of the market rise during the forecast period.