The Indian Navy is looking to acquire at least ten autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) for various naval operations.

A navy official said the AUVs should be able to carry variable payloads including high-definition sonars and underwater cameras for surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

“Capable of being launched from small vessels with a maximum weight of 1.5t, the AUVs should be able to operate at depths up to 500m for 7-8 hours,” the official said.

The Indian Navy said it has already issued a request for proposals to the state-owned and private manufacturers for the acquisition of the AUVs.

AUVs are non-tethered robotic devices, driven by propulsion systems and controlled and piloted by onboard computers, according to The Times of India..