AUV Manufacturing a Growth Industry Says New Report

Strong revenue growth will continue over the next five years as AUV's (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) are increasingly used in commercial scenarios predicts IBISWorld's market research.

The Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Manufacturing industry has generated robust growth over the past five years. From 2008 to 2013, industry revenue has posted double-digit gains, growing at an average annual rate of 13.8% to an estimated $156.9 million in revenue.

According to IBISWorld industry analyst Caitlin Moldvay: “First developed in the 1960s, AUVs are underwater vessels programmed to perform a set task that can travel independently with their own power source.”

The industry generates the majority of its revenue from military and security markets given that AUVs are used for surveillance, reconnaissance, mine countermeasures and anti-submarine warfare. Rising defense spending over the past five years has generated stable growth from this downstream market, with federal funding for defense rising on average 1.5% over the past five years. AUVs are also used for scientific research, primarily for mapping the ocean floor, testing water samples and polar ice research.

However, the industry has generated its fastest growth from rising usage of AUVs by oil and gas companies for mapping the ocean floor and performing pipeline inspections. “Increasingly, AUVs are being used in place of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) given that they are more cost effective, have higher resolution capabilities and can travel at faster speeds,” says Moldvay. Consequently, expanding commercial applications of AUVs has driven robust industry growth over the past five years. In 2013, IBISWorld projects that the industry will continue expanding, with industry revenue expected to rise 17.5%.
 
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