Underwater Navigation And Positioning Market Report 2026

Underwater Navigation And Positioning Market Overview

• Underwater Navigation And Positioning market size has reached to $1.7 billion in 2025 • Expected to grow to $2.41 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.3% • Growth Driver: Increasing Maritime Security Risks Driving Growth Of The Market Due To Rising Geopolitical Tensions • Market Trend: Advancing Precision With RTK-Enabled Navigation and Surface-Based GPS Innovations • North America was the largest region in 2025.

What Is Covered Under Underwater Navigation And Positioning Market?

Underwater navigation and positioning refer to techniques used to determine the location and movement of vessels or objects beneath the water surface. It involves methods such as sonar, inertial navigation, and acoustic positioning systems to track positions accurately. These systems are crucial for submarines, underwater vehicles, and research operations where global positioning system (GPS) signals cannot penetrate. The main component of underwater navigation and positioning are hardware, software, and services. Hardware includes essential equipment such as sensors, navigation units, and transducers used for underwater positioning. These employ technologies such as acoustic positioning systems, inertial navigation systems, global positioning systems (GPS), and others, and support operations at various depths, including shallow water and deep water. Applications span commercial, military, scientific research, and other fields, serving end users in oil and gas, marine, defense, scientific research, and other sectors.

What Is The Underwater Navigation And Positioning Market Growth Forecast?

The underwater navigation and positioning market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $2.41 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.3%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to development of hybrid acoustic-inertial systems, expansion in subsea energy exploration, deployment in deep-sea research and mining, integration with ai and machine learning for real-time navigation, increased adoption in unmanned underwater survey missions. Major trends in the forecast period include growing demand for deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploration and production requiring advanced underwater positioning., expansion of offshore renewable energy projects driving need for precise subsea navigation and survey solutions., increased utilization of underwater navigation systems in marine scientific research and environmental and seabed monitoring., rising adoption of high-precision survey and mapping for subsea telecommunications cables and critical seabed infrastructure., shift toward rugged, compact and modular navigation hardware optimized for harsh subsea conditions and long-duration missions.

Global Underwater Navigation And Positioning Market Segmentation

1) By Component: Hardware, Software, Services 2) By Technology: Acoustic Positioning Systems, Inertial Navigation Systems, Global Positioning System (GPS), Other Technologies 3) By Depth: Shallow Water, Deep Water 4) By Application: Commercial, Military, Scientific Research, Other Applications 5) By End User: Oil And Gas, Marine, Defense, Scientific Research, Other End Users Subsegments: 1) By Hardware: Acoustic Transponders, Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), Doppler Velocity Logs (DVLs) 2) By Software: Navigation Algorithms, Mapping And Visualization Software, Data Processing And Analysis Tools 3) By Services: Installation And Integration, Calibration And Maintenance, Training And Technical Support

What Is Driver Of The Underwater Navigation And Positioning Market?

The rising incidences of maritime security threats are expected to propel the growth of the underwater navigation and positioning market going forward. Maritime security threats refer to challenges that compromise the safety of vessels, ports, and maritime trade, including piracy, terrorism, trafficking, illegal fishing, and cyber risks. Maritime security threats are rising as heightened geopolitical tensions fuel territorial disputes and increase risks of conflict at sea. Underwater navigation and positioning enhance maritime security by providing accurate location data for vessels and underwater assets, aiding in monitoring suspicious movements, securing ports, and preventing illegal activities at sea. For instance, in January 2024, according to the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), a France-based business organization, in 2023 there were 120 reported incidents of maritime piracy and armed robbery against ships, up from 115 in 2022, including 105 vessel boardings, nine attempted attacks, four hijackings, and two instances of gunfire. Therefore, the rising incidences of maritime security threats are driving the growth of the underwater navigation and positioning industry.

Key Players In The Global Underwater Navigation And Positioning Market

Major companies operating in the underwater navigation and positioning market are Thales Group, Kongsberg Maritime AS, General Dynamics Mission Systems Inc., Fugro N.V., Nortek AS, Teledyne Marine Inc., Exail, LinkQuest Inc., Sonardyne International Ltd., Advanced Navigation Pty Ltd, Saab Seaeye Ltd, EdgeTech Inc., EvoLogics GmbH, Applied Acoustics Engineering Ltd., Blueprint Subsea Ltd, Desert Star Systems LLC, RJE International Inc., Rowe Technologies Inc., Shark Marine Technologies Inc., Water Linked AS.

Global Underwater Navigation And Positioning Market Trends and Insights

Major companies operating in the underwater navigation and positioning market are focusing on developing innovative solutions such as real-time kinematic (RTK)-enabled navigation to enhance positioning accuracy, improve operational efficiency, and support complex subsea missions. Real-time kinematic (RTK)-enabled navigation refers to a satellite-based positioning technique that provides highly accurate, centimeter-level location data in real time by correcting signals from the global positioning system (GPS) or global navigation satellite system (GNSS) using reference stations. For instance, in October 2024, Deep Trekker Inc., a Canada-based manufacturing company, launched a surface-based GPS navigation for remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). It provides precise real-time positional tracking by recalibrating the vehicle's location whenever it surfaces. This approach improves mission accuracy and reduces reliance on complex acoustic systems, lowering operational costs and setup time. Its purpose is to support reliable underwater surveys, inspections, and asset management by linking surface GPS data to underwater navigation paths for enhanced control and data quality.

What Are Latest Mergers And Acquisitions In The Underwater Navigation And Positioning Market? Teledyne Marine Inc. Acquires Valeport Limited To Strengthen Underwater Navigation And Positioning Capabilities

In March 2024, Teledyne Marine Inc., a US-based technology company, acquired Valeport Limited for an undisclosed amount. With this acquisition, Teledyne Marine Inc. aims to expand its underwater sensor technology portfolio, strengthen its market position, and deliver more comprehensive, cutting-edge solutions to global customers in marine research, energy, and defense sectors. Valeport Limited is a UK-based manufacturing company that offers underwater navigation and positioning products.

Regional Insights

North America was the largest region in the underwater navigation and positioning market in 2025. The regions covered in this market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in this market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain

What Defines the Underwater Navigation And Positioning Market?

The underwater navigation and positioning market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as surveying and mapping, subsea construction support, and search and recovery operations. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The underwater navigation and positioning market also includes sales of acoustic positioning systems, inertial navigation systems, and sonar systems. Values in this market are 'factory gate' values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

How is Market Value Defined and Measured?

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified). The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

What Key Data and Analysis Are Included in the Underwater Navigation And Positioning Market Report 2026?

The underwater navigation and positioning market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides market statistics, including industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with the market share, detailed market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the underwater navigation and positioning industry. The market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future state of the industry.