AUVS technical guide
Long-Endurance AUVs
What makes missions lasting days, weeks or months possible—and how to compare claims responsibly.
Core concept
Gliders minimize propulsion power; large propeller-driven vehicles carry more energy; fuel-cell systems increase stored energy; resident vehicles recharge at docks. Each solves a different operating problem.
What engineers and buyers should verify
Range, endurance and persistence are not interchangeable. A docked vehicle may remain deployed for months while individual excursions are shorter. A range claim also depends on speed, payload and current.
Reading specifications responsibly
Configuration, payload, speed and mission conditions matter. AUVS preserves the manufacturer’s published language, marks unavailable values as “Not published,” and links every vehicle record to provenance.