The Future of UXV Modeling & Simulation
As uncrewed systems are being fielded into multi-domain maritime operations, the challenge to deliver scalable, resilient, and reliable autonomous systems that operate safely with full mission assurance is a priority. Across both defense and commercial programs, experience shows that early validation through simulation mitigates risks, shortens software integration timelines, and allows for real-world evaluation of mission plans.
The Future of Ocean Technology: Enough Ingenuity to Sink a Battleship
Welcome to The Future of Ocean Technology, Vol. 6., our annual thought leadership special edition. While the editorial within these pages is, as always, entirely future-focused, a quick glance back at some of the highlights of 2025 serves as a useful precursor. Last year, perhaps more than any other this decade, was shaped by unfolding geopolitical volatility. Some policy pivots were more predictable than others, but all were overshadowed by the consensus that allied forces must bolster naval defense preparedness in times of escalating international tensions and regional conflicts.
Shaping the Next Wave of Underwater Intervention
As the subsea industry continues to evolve, so too does the community driving its innovation. Remote and autonomous systems are transforming how we work beneath the surface—redefining safety, efficiency, and connectivity in ways that were once aspirational. This year’s Underwater Intervention (UI), happening December 3–5 in New Orleans, captures that momentum. Co-located with the International WorkBoat Show for the third time running, this year UI brings together a broader audience than ever before, reflecting the convergence of underwater and topside technologies—and the shared opportunities that lie ahead.
Hybrid Autonomy at Sea
Every hour a vessel spends holding station costs money. Every crew member offshore adds risk, fatigue, and logistical complexity. For decades, the only way to maintain the precision needed for subsea inspection, survey, or ROV work was to charter a large, dynamically positioned vessel with specialist crew, heavy fuel burn, and day rates that often exceeded the value of the project.
Advancing Remote Operations Through Collaboration & Innovation
As remote operations and autonomous systems continue to transform the landscape of ocean operations, collaboration has become an essential driving force in the industry. Within General Oceans, a community of experts is emerging, helping to enable development of expertise across the Group.
The Unmanned Horizon
Author: Trygve Hagevik
The offshore industry is at an inflection point. For decades, progress has been measured in better safety systems, more efficient drilling and leaner maintenance.
SWiFT’s Role in the Future of Marine Data
As the world’s oceans are explored, exploited, and monitored in increasingly diverse and remote locations, the demand for high-quality oceanographic data is continuously growing. From climate change research to offshore energy development, marine professionals are being asked to collect larger volumes of data with greater accuracy and frequency.
Mission Specialist Wraith an Evolution in ROV Technology
VideoRay’s newly launched Mission Specialist Wraith represents the next evolution of remotely operated vehicle (ROV) performance, engineered for missions that demand exceptional agility, power, and adaptability in a compact platform. As the emerging flagship of the Mission Specialist series, the Wraith is designed to tackle the most challenging subsea environments with precision and control unmatched in its class.
DVL to Aid USV Navigation in GNSS-Denied Environments
The past decade has marked a turning point in maritime technology with the rapid rise of uncrewed surface vessels (USVs). These uncrewed platforms, often called “sea drones,” are redefining how we monitor, map, and secure the world’s oceans. Among their key advantages is the ability to perform tasks and surveys at a far smaller expense and risk than traditional crewed vessels. USVs are often used in applications including environmental monitoring, offshore inspection, subsea infrastructure protection, and defense missions such as Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR).
Future-Ready Offshore Surveys: Integrated Autonomy for Smarter Decisions
The offshore energy industry is under intensifying pressure to improve safety, enhance efficiency, and reduce environmental impact while ensuring superior data quality delivery. Traditional survey campaigns are built around large, fully crewed vessels. They are effective but expensive, logistics heavy, and exposed to weather and schedule risks. They also tend to be sequential; one scope at a time, one mobilization after another, time consuming vessel reconfigurations, with days or weeks separating data acquisition from interpretation.
Fully Autonomous Surface Vessels: Is Perception the Hurdle?
Leidos now has more than 300,000 fully autonomous nautical miles of USV operation (mostly on the US Navy Sea Hunter and Seahawk vessels) across 12 different platform types. That’s an open-ocean, fully autonomous milestone unmatched today, but there are challenges to overcome. Around the globe, many companies are operating USVs of varying autonomy capabilities daily, doing real-world missions and tasks. All have a substantial technical weakness—perception.
Scalable Startups Shine at Ocean Exchange 2025
Blue Tech startups are innovative companies dedicated to solving challenges through advanced technology and entrepreneurial approaches. These startups operate within the broader Blue Economy, focusing on developing commercial opportunities in sectors like aquaculture, maritime transportation, renewable ocean energy, climate technology, and sustainable management of marine resources.