The future of maritime inspections: from divers to autonomy

Underwater infrastructure is one of the least visible yet most critical components of global trade. Ship hulls, ports, subsea cables, and offshore platforms all require regular inspection to ensure safety, efficiency, and compliance. Yet the methods used today have remained largely unchanged for decades.

Fewer than 1% of vessels entering EU ports undergo underwater inspections. Traditional approaches face systemic challenges: diver-led operations involve safety risks and high insurance costs, while remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) require trained pilots, tethered equipment, and favorable conditions. The result is low inspection frequency, high costs, and incomplete insights, creating a significant gap at the intersection of maritime efficiency, infrastructure resilience, and environmental responsibility.

Why current methods fall short

Diver-led inspections remain the industry standard in many regions, but they come with significant drawbacks. These operations pose high safety risks, offer limited scalability, and are heavily dependent on weather and water conditions. As a result, their use is both costly and constrained, making it difficult to establish a sustainable inspection routine.

Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) provide an alternative by reducing direct risks to human divers. However, they require trained pilots to operate, rely on tethered equipment, and generate data that often needs additional processing and interpretation. Their complexity and expense mean that ROVs are typically reserved for large-scale or urgent inspections rather than routine monitoring.

Emerging digital monitoring tools, such as optical imaging and sensor-based systems, represent a step forward in innovation, yet they still face challenges. These technologies struggle in environments with low visibility or turbidity, and their adoption has been slow due to limited regulatory acceptance. As a result, they have not yet achieved the level of reliability or scalability required to transform inspection practices.

A market shaped by climate and regulation

Pressures on the sector are intensifying:

• Biofouling is linked to up to 40% higher fuel consumption, directly increasing greenhouse gas emissions.

• Regulatory frameworks, including the International Maritime Organization’s efficiency targets and the EU’s Fit-for-55 package, are pushing operators to adopt solutions that cut emissions and extend asset lifespans.

• Beyond shipping, subsea assets such as offshore wind farms, communication cables, and defense infrastructure require continuous monitoring, broadening the relevance of scalable inspection systems.

Industry analysts estimate the combined global addressable market for subsea inspection across maritime, infrastructure, and energy to exceed €50 billion, with steady growth driven by climate policies, trade volumes, and security priorities.
 

Autonomy as a differentiator

These dynamics are accelerating the shift toward autonomous inspection systems. To scale beyond the limits of divers and tethered ROVs, next-generation platforms integrate AI, robotics, and sensor fusion to enable safe, repeatable, and efficient underwater operations.

One example is Subdron, an Austrian startup developing a fully autonomous inspection system for ports, vessel operators, and infrastructure managers. By automating both data collection and interpretation, Subdron’s approach demonstrates how autonomy can reduce inspection time and cost while maintaining accuracy in challenging environments.

Subdron’s recent activities reflect growing demand for autonomy in subsea inspection:

• Pilot projects with ports such as Hamburg and Rotterdam, as well as collaborations with national authorities

• Engagement with defense stakeholders, including the German Navy and Royal Dutch Navy

• Recognition at the European level with the Seal of Excellence from the European Innovation Council

• Nearly €6 million in funding secured to date from VCs (led by xista and faber), grants, and founder investment

• Research projects with the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) and the European Space Agency (ESA)

The bigger picture

The subsea inspection sector is beginning a transformation similar to the rise of drones in aviation and robotics in industry. The driving forces, which are safety, efficiency, environmental pressure, and digitalization, are consistent across domains.

While adoption is still in its early stages, autonomous systems are showing how they can complement, and in certain cases replace, diver and ROV-based inspections. For an industry responsible for moving 90% of global trade, the impact of autonomy could be far-reaching: lower emissions, reduced operating costs, and improved infrastructure resilience.

As maritime stakeholders look to balance regulatory compliance, economic competitiveness, and climate objectives, autonomy is set to become an increasingly central component of the subsea inspection landscape.
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Investment opportunity

With the global subsea inspection market exceeding €50 billion and regulatory as well as climate pressures reshaping maritime operations, the demand for safer, more efficient, and scalable solutions is accelerating. Subdron addresses this gap with the first fully autonomous underwater inspection system, delivering inspections that are up to 5x faster, 50% more cost-effective, and operational even in low-visibility conditions.

Founded by Thomas Vonach (CEO), Subdron is backed by a multidisciplinary team of engineers, AI researchers, and maritime professionals. The company has raised €5.9 million to date from self-funding, grants, and VCs, led by xista and Faber, and has been recognized with the European Innovation Council’s Seal of Excellence.

Subdron’s traction includes over €100k in pilot revenue, its first commercial contracts, and 38+ Letters of Intent from ship owners, inspection companies, and maritime authorities.  

By enabling cleaner ship hulls, early detection of structural issues, and reducing fuel overconsumption, Subdron is not only addressing critical industry needs but also contributing to emissions reduction in maritime operations.

With an active round on SeedBlink, Subdron is now raising funds to secure R&D grants, scale operations, and meet the growing demand for autonomous inspection services.

Explore the round and join Subdron’s mission to redefine subsea inspection.