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QUARTERLY UPDATE

2018—UNMANNED MARITIME SYSTEMS (UMS) YEAR IN REVIEW

What happened in 2018 for Unmanned Maritime Systems (UMS)? 

Not much, except . . . 

This year was strong for UMS developments. Key statistics included:

• Approximately $774 Million invested in UMS companies & technologies

• 7 Major merger/acquisition developments and 13 notable strategic partnerships

• Over 60 new UMS products launched

• Nearly $2 Billion in R&D/Government funds awarded to the UMS sector

While many companies have been thriving two were especially vibrant this year. Kraken (and its various subsidiaries) were noted 15 times and Ocean Infinity delivered 13 news items over the year. The Ocean Infinity Q4 announcement that they are expanding their Huginfleet to 15 units is perhaps one of the most interesting statistics of 2018. When oil prices started falling in late 2014 predicting the emergence of a commercial AUV fleet that large would have been an idea outside the mainstream, to say the least. With the Ocean Discovery XPRIZE wrapping up in December 2018, and the launch of the Seabed 2030 initiative, there should be more survey and exploration developments in 2019.

Technically during 2018 two themes were strong. The growth of compact vehicles, both UUV and USV, was notable. As new players enter the field and technologies improve it is no longer a given that a UMS platform must be large, expensive or hard to operate. Also the continued growth of software as a stand-alone contributor to the sector is important. The UMS hardware market may not inspire a large “app” ecosystem like smartphones; but the fact that there is a market for UMS software tools to augment existing vehicles or enhance new ones is worth watching.

Over the course of the year major drivers for the UMS market included:

• Defense, with tensions in the Pacific being notable and numerous US DoD programs launched

• Energy, with growth in offshore wind an important dynamic along with a growing interest in UMS for inspection maintenance and repair (IMR) applications

• Shipping, with many different investments and project starts in 2018, including diverse application of unmanned systems in all domains (flying, swimming and driving)

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