DRDO Unveils New Man-Portable Autonomous Underwater Vehicles for Mine Countermeasure Missions

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has achieved a major milestone in underwater warfare technology with the successful development of new-generation Man-portable Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (MP-AUVs) designed specifically for mine countermeasure (MCM) operations. The breakthrough comes from the Naval Science & Technological Laboratory (NSTL) in Visakhapatnam, a premier DRDO facility specializing in naval systems.

Advanced AUVs Built for Modern Mine Warfare

According to officials, the newly developed MP-AUVs are compact, lightweight platforms engineered to operate in shallow and deep-water environments where naval mines pose severe risks to warships, submarines, and commercial vessels.

Each unit is equipped with:

• High-resolution Side Scan Sonar (SSS) for seabed imaging

• Underwater Electro-Optical Cameras to visually confirm mine-like objects

• Deep-learning based target recognition algorithms

• Underwater Acoustic Communication System for inter-AUV networking

• Real-time data link for mission monitoring

The MP-AUVs can autonomously detect, classify, and map Mine-Like Objects (MLOs) with high accuracy, drastically reducing the time and manpower required for conventional mine-hunting missions. Their man-portable design allows deployment from small naval boats, unmanned surface vessels (USVs), and other vessels of opportunity.

AI-Driven Autonomy Cuts Mission Time

One of the most significant innovations is the AI-driven target recognition system, which uses deep learning to autonomously classify underwater threats. This capability sharply reduces operator burden by filtering out false positives and delivering an accurate threat picture.

The autonomy system enables:

• Automated detection and classification of naval mines

• Reduction in mission duration by nearly 40–60%

• Improved operator safety

• Coordinated multi-AUV operations through acoustic networking

Successful Trials Completed

Recent field trials conducted at NSTL’s Harbour Test Facility validated the system’s sonar performance, communication reliability, endurance, and multi-vehicle operation. The AUVs demonstrated consistent detection accuracy across various seabed conditions, including sandy, rocky, and silty terrain.

Production to Begin Soon

DRDO has partnered with multiple industry players for production. According to NSTL, the MP-AUVs will be ready for manufacturing in the coming months, with rapid induction expected once user evaluation trials with the Indian Navy are completed.

Strategic Importance for India

Naval mines are among the most cost-effective and deadly threats used in maritime warfare. With India’s expanding naval responsibilities—from the Arabian Sea to the Indo-Pacific—the ability to clear mines swiftly and safely is crucial.

The MP-AUV program boosts India's indigenous undersea warfare capabilities by:

• Strengthening mine detection and clearance

• Reducing dependency on imported systems

• Supporting Atmanirbhar Bharat in defense

• Enabling rapid port clearance during conflicts or disasters

A Step Toward Future Underwater Swarm Systems

NSTL officials indicated that the MP-AUVs lay the foundation for future autonomous swarm-based underwater systems, where multiple AUVs can secure large maritime zones quickly and efficiently.

With these new MP-AUVs, DRDO places India among a select group of nations capable of developing advanced autonomous underwater mine countermeasure technology, marking a major step in strengthening India’s maritime defense ecosystem.