Skip to main content

New Pentagon contract worth $800 million focuses on underwater drone technology

On July 30th the Defense Department awarded a contract worth nearly $800 million towards the research and development of unmanned underwater drones. In its 2019 fiscal year budget, the DoD allotted $9.6 billion to unmanned systems. According to the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, this is a 28% increase from the previous year which solidifies the department’s interest in unmanned systems is growing. The Pentagon has selected 23 different companies to share the contract with expected completion by July of 2023, just 5 years from now.

The Navy’s Goal

As the leading military branch in terms of dollars spent on unmanned systems, the United States Navy has led more than half of all drone projects. The full $9.6 billion dedicated to unmanned systems is heavily focused on aerial platforms with $7 billion invested. Aquatic drones, on the other hand, take up a small fraction of the budget at $1.3 billion.

As a key part of the 2019 budget, the Mk 18 Kingfish unmanned underwater vehicle is showing promising results through mine countermeasure operations, data collection, and surveillance. In a summary of their roadmap, the Navy said drone use will:

“provide access to areas denied to manned platforms; provide better situational awareness; increase capabilities with greater range and persistence; and enable faster decision making.”

The UUVRON 1, Unmanned Undersea Vehicle Squadron One, is the Navy’s first dedicated underwater drone unit that is approaching its first anniversary. The squadron’s first commander, Cmdr. Scott Smith, acknowledges the Navy’s dedication to unmanned systems by calling this event “historic.”

Drone use within the military is skyrocketing as the United States government dedicates more funding to their development. Keeping soldiers safe is of top priority and with the help of drones, it keeps troops out of harm’s way.

What do you think about this new contract from the Department of Defense? Let us know in the comments below.

STAY IN TOUCH!

If you’d like to stay up to date with all the latest drone news, scoops, rumors and reviews, then follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram or sign up for our email newsletter DroneRise, that goes out every weekday morning at 6 am.

If you’d like to help us grow, you can buy your next drone through one of the following links directly from manufacturers, such as DJI, Parrot, Yuneec or retailers like Amazon, B&H, BestBuy or eBay. We will make a small commission and it will not cost you anything extra. Thank you!

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading DroneDJ — experts who break news about DJI and the wider drone ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow DroneDJ on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Comments