AUVS technical guide
Types of AUVs
A practical taxonomy of torpedo-shaped, hovering, glider, long-range and extra-large autonomous underwater vehicles.
Core concept
Streamlined survey AUVs efficiently cover track lines. Hover-capable vehicles trade transit efficiency for low-speed control around structures. Underwater gliders change buoyancy and use wings to convert vertical motion into slow forward travel. Large and extra-large vehicles provide energy and payload volume for longer or more complex missions.
What engineers and buyers should verify
Size alone does not determine mission class. A compact deep-rated vehicle may require substantial ship handling, while a long-range vehicle may launch from shore. Published launch weight, lifting points, battery rules and recovery system requirements are operational specifications, not footnotes.
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.