A new UK-German collaboration will develop autonomous vehicles for security and commercial applications while manufacturers in the US and Sweden have commenced work on new unmanned naval systems. A French builder has secured an order for a new surface drone. Lastly, construction continues on a multi-mission platform for the US Navy.
American technology and shipbuilding company Blue Water Autonomy has announced $50 million in Series A funding to build and deploy its first long-range, full-sized autonomous ship next year. The funding round was led by venture capital firm GV, with all existing investors also participating. The new financing brings the company's total funding raised to $64 million.
The company is designing and building what it described as “highly producible” unmanned ships for the US Navy. Blue Water said the new funding will allow the company to advance its work, having already completed successful on-water engineering tests and started acquiring long-lead material from more than fifty selected suppliers since its seed round in April 2025.
Saab has signed a contract with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) to develop a concept for a larger uncrewed underwater vehicle, known as a large uncrewed undersea vehicle (LUUV). The order value for the project amounts to SEK60 million ($5.8 million).
As the prime contractor, Saab will be responsible for the design, construction, and testing of the new vehicle. The project's goal is to develop an advanced system that is adapted to current and future challenges in the undersea domain. Saab's autonomous control system will be integrated into the LUUV's systems, with the first sea trials planned for the summer of 2026.
Exail Technologies has announced the first sale of the newest model in its range of autonomous surface drones, also known as uncrewed surface vehicles (USV).
The undisclosed client, described as a leading global hydrographic authority, will use the new drone primarily for naval defence applications. This new order follows an earlier sale of a fleet of five drones to a European navy for naval surveillance missions.
US-based unmanned systems specialist Saronic Technologies recently laid the keel of a new 150-foot (46-metre) autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) at its recently acquired shipyard in Franklin, Louisiana.
Saronic said the keel-laying marks the official start of production for a new class of fully autonomous ships that will enhance maritime operations for the US, its allies, and commercial customers around the world.
UK unmanned systems specialist the Kraken Technology Group and German shipbuilder NVL have formed a new joint venture with the objective of developing unmanned platforms of various sizes for both military and civilian applications.
The joint venture intends to rapidly scale up manufacturing capacities for autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) at NVL’s shipyard Blohm+Voss in Hamburg on top of the already existing capacities in the UK to provide a range of products to the German and European market.