Douglas-Westwood: The AUV market will continue to be dominated by North American activity; Military and research sectors to have 90% market share by 2016. The global AUV fleet is increasing and demand for autonomous underwater vehicles is expected to show steady growth over the period to 2016 according to a new report by Douglas-Westwood. Report author Paul Newman commented, “Many of the factors in the drive to using unmanned military aircraft, the so-called ‘drones’ also apply to both military and civil subsea operations. “When Douglas-Westwood’s first World AUV Market Forecast was launched in 2004, 92 AUVs had been built; the new 4th edition identifies some 560 and forecasts an additional 370 units will be in use by 2016.
