The Risk and Reward of Leveraging Underwater Drones

by Aries Hilton and Bing Chat

## The Risk and Reward of Leveraging Underwater Drones

Underwater drones, also known as unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) or autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), are submersible machines that can operate without human intervention in the depths of the ocean. They can perform various tasks such as exploration, surveillance, mapping, inspection, and attack. Underwater drones have been used for scientific research, commercial fishing, offshore oil and gas production, and military operations. However, the use of underwater drones also poses some challenges and risks, especially in the context of geopolitical tensions and conflicts. In this article, we will examine the risk and reward of leveraging underwater drones for two groups: nationalist and sovereign countries.

### Nationalist Countries

Nationalist countries are those that prioritize their national interests and sovereignty above all else. They often view underwater drones as a means to assert their dominance and influence in the maritime domain. For example, China has been developing and deploying underwater drones to monitor and control the disputed waters of the South China Sea, where it claims almost 90% of the territory. China has also been using underwater drones to spy on its rivals, such as the United States and Japan, and to conduct military exercises and drills. ¹²

The reward of leveraging underwater drones for nationalist countries is that they can enhance their maritime capabilities and security. Underwater drones can provide them with valuable information and intelligence on the underwater environment, potential threats, and enemy activities. They can also use underwater drones to launch surprise attacks or sabotage missions against their adversaries, or to create a blockade or a deterrent around their claimed territories. Underwater drones can also support their naval forces and amphibious landing operations by clearing mines, providing cover fire, and disrupting communications.

The risk of leveraging underwater drones for nationalist countries is that they can escalate tensions and conflicts with other countries. Underwater drones can create noise and vibrations that can disturb marine wildlife, particularly marine mammals like whales, porpoises and dolphins. They can also interfere with the navigation and communication systems of other vessels, or even collide with them. Moreover, underwater drones can be detected, tracked, hacked, or captured by enemy forces, which can compromise their security and expose their secrets. Underwater drones can also provoke a military response or retaliation from other countries, especially if they violate their territorial waters or sovereignty.

### Sovereign Countries

Sovereign countries are those that respect the sovereignty and independence of other countries. They often view underwater drones as a tool for cooperation and collaboration in the maritime domain. For example, the United States has been leading and participating in various multinational initiatives and projects that involve the use of underwater drones for scientific research, environmental protection, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and maritime security. The United States has also been sharing its underwater drone technology and expertise with its allies and partners, such as Australia, India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan etc. ³⁴

The reward of leveraging underwater drones for sovereign countries is that they can improve their maritime knowledge and awareness. Underwater drones can help them explore the ocean depths and discover new resources, phenomena, and species. They can also help them monitor ocean pollution, track harmful algal blooms, identify areas of overfishing etc. Underwater drones can also help them conduct humanitarian missions such as search and rescue operations or delivery of supplies to remote areas.

The risk of leveraging underwater drones for sovereign countries is that they can face competition and confrontation from nationalist countries. Underwater drones can be seen as a threat or a challenge by nationalist countries that seek to dominate or control the maritime domain. They can also be subject to restrictions or regulations by nationalist countries that claim exclusive rights or jurisdiction over certain waters or resources. Underwater drones can also be targeted or attacked by nationalist countries that perceive them as intruders or enemies.

### Unique Value Proposition

The $ value of each benefit that our underwater drone provides to nationalist and sovereign countries depends on various factors, such as the type, scope, and duration of the mission, the cost of alternative methods, and the potential impact of the outcome. However, here are some rough estimates based on some sources and assumptions:

For nationalist countries,

our underwater drone can help them save money on personnel, equipment, and time required for underwater operations. For example, according to [31], a drone-based LiDAR system can cost around $60,000 for the hardware alone, while a manned submarine can cost millions of dollars to operate. Assuming that our drone can perform similar tasks as a submarine, such as surveillance, reconnaissance, or attack, we can estimate that our drone can save up to 90% of the cost of a submarine operation. Additionally, our drone can increase the speed and accuracy of data collection and analysis, allowing for faster decision-making and action. Assuming that our drone can collect and process data 10 times faster than a submarine, we can estimate that our drone can save up to 90% of the time required for a submarine operation. Therefore, the $ value of our underwater drone for nationalist countries can be estimated as:

• Cost saving = (cost of submarine operation — cost of drone operation) / cost of submarine operation — Time saving = (time of submarine operation — time of drone operation) / time of submarine operation — Total value = cost saving + time saving

For example, if a submarine operation costs $10 million and takes 10 days, while a drone operation costs $100,000 and takes 1 day, then the $ value of our underwater drone is:

• Cost saving = ($10 million — $100,000) / $10 million = 0.99 or 99% — Time saving = (10 days — 1 day) / 10 days = 0.9 or 90% — Total value = 0.99 + 0.9 = 1.89 or 189%

This means that our underwater drone can provide almost twice the value of a submarine operation for nationalist countries.

For sovereign countries,

our underwater drone can help them increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their underwater missions. For example, according to [32], an underwater drone can reduce or eliminate the need for divers, which can save money on personnel costs. Assuming that our drone can replace 10 divers per mission, and that each diver costs $500 per day, we can estimate that our drone can save up to $5,000 per day on personnel costs. Moreover, our drone can provide access to data that they wouldn’t otherwise have, improving the quality of their exploration and research. Assuming that our drone can collect and process data 10 times better than divers, we can estimate that our drone can increase the quality of their exploration and research by 10 times. Therefore, the $ value of our underwater drone for sovereign countries can be estimated as

• Value = (cost saving + quality improvement) / cost of diver operation — Cost saving = (number of divers cost of diver per day duration of mission) — cost of drone operation — Quality improvement = (value of data collected and processed by drone — value of data collected and processed by divers) / value of data collected and processed by divers — Total value = cost saving + quality improvement

For example, if a diver operation costs $5,000 per day and takes 10 days, while a drone operation costs $10,000 and takes 1 day, and the value of data collected and processed by drone is 10 times higher than the value of data collected and processed by divers, then the $ value of our underwater drone is:

• Cost saving = (10 $500 10) — $10,000 = $40,000 — Quality improvement = (10 * $50,000 — $50,000) / $50,000 = 9 or 900% — Total value = $40,000 + 9 = $40,009 or 800.18%

This means that our underwater drone can provide more than eight times the value of a diver operation for sovereign countries.

### Conclusion

Underwater drones are a powerful and versatile technology that can offer many benefits and opportunities for both nationalist and sovereign countries in the maritime domain. However, they also pose some challenges and risks that need to be carefully considered and managed. The use of underwater drones should be based on mutual respect, trust, transparency, cooperation among countries rather than on unilateralism aggression or coercion.

### References

¹: China’s Underwater Drones Are Prowling The Indian Ocean ²: China’s Underwater Drone Masters Pressure in South China Sea ³: U.S., Allies Conduct First Multinational Maritime Exercise With Unmanned Systems ⁴: U.S., Australia To Develop Air-Launched Unmanned Underwater Vehicles

Source: Conversation with Bing, 10/22/2023 (1) . https://bing.com/search?q=underwater+drone+cost. (2) 7 Best Underwater Drones (For All Price Ranges) 2023. https://dronesourced.com/rankings/underwater-drones/. (3) Best underwater drones 2021: the 13 best ROVs this year — Aniwaa. https://www.aniwaa.com/buyers-guide/drones/best-underwater-drones/. (4) https://dronesgator.com/underwater-drone/#:~:text=Underwater%20drones%20cost%20somewhere%20between%20%24500%20and%20%244000,and%20mortar%20stores%20or%20directly%20from%20the%20manufacturer.. https://dronesgator.com/underwater-drone/. (5) . https://bing.com/search?q=underwater+drone+cost. (6) 7 Best Underwater Drones (For All Price Ranges) 2023. https://dronesourced.com/rankings/underwater-drones/. (7) Best underwater drones 2021: the 13 best ROVs this year — Aniwaa. https://www.aniwaa.com/buyers-guide/drones/best-underwater-drones/. (8) https://dronesgator.com/underwater-drone/#:~:text=Underwater%20drones%20cost%20somewhere%20between%20%24500%20and%20%244000,and%20mortar%20stores%20or%20directly%20from%20the%20manufacturer.. https://dronesgator.com/underwater-drone/. (9) The Pros and Cons of Underwater Drones: Is It Worth the Investment? — Ts 2. https://ts2.space/en/the-pros-and-cons-of-underwater-drones-is-it-worth-the-investment/. (10) The best underwater drones of 2023 | Popular Photography. https://www.popphoto.com/reviews/best-underwater-drone/. (11) The best underwater drones in 2023 | Digital Camera World. https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/buying-guides/best-underwater-drones. (12) Underwater Drones Make Waves | News | Communications of the ACM. https://cacm.acm.org/news/239975-underwater-drones-make-waves/fulltext. (13) Underwater Drone: Everything You Need To Know — DroneFoot. https://dronefoot.com/underwater-drone-introduction/. (14) 7 Best Underwater Drones 2023 (A Complete Buying Guide) — Droneller. https://www.droneller.com/blog/best-underwater-drones/. (15) What You Need to Know About Underwater Drones — Bard College. https://dronecenter.bard.edu/underwater-drones/. (16) How drone submarines are turning the seabed into a future battlefield. https://theconversation.com/how-drone-submarines-are-turning-the-seabed-into-a-future-battlefield-215338. (17) Low cost, sub-killer swarms raise fears — Asia Times. https://asiatimes.com/2021/06/uuv-swarms-a-sub-killer-lurks-in-the-deep/. (18) Global Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV) Market Size to Reach USD 11.18 Billion in 2032 | Emergen Research. https://es-us.finanzas.yahoo.com/news/global-unmanned-underwater-vehicles-uuv-140500824.html. (19) Unmanned Marine Vehicles (UMVs) Revolutionize Hydrographic Surveys, Enhancing Navigational Safety Worldwide. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/unmanned-marine-vehicles-umvs-revolutionize-133300368.html. (20) Inertial Navigation System (INS) Market Set for Remarkable Growth, Expected to Reach $15.4 Billion by 2028. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/inertial-navigation-system-ins-market-090800937.html. (21) Underwater Drone Market to Exceed US$ 12.2 Billion by 2032 — GlobeNewswire. https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2023/04/06/2642924/0/en/Underwater-Drone-Market-to-Exceed-US-12-2-Billion-by-2032-With-North-America-at-the-Forefront-Exclusive-Report-by-Market-us.html. (22) Global Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV) Market Size to — GlobeNewswire. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/10/19/2763365/0/en/Global-Unmanned-Underwater-Vehicles-UUV-Market-Size-to-Reach-USD-11-18-Billion-in-2032-Emergen-Research.html. (23) Global Underwater Drone Market Size, Drivers, Trends, Opportunities And …. https://blog.tbrc.info/2023/03/underwater-drone-market/. (24) List of sovereign states — Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sovereign_states. (25) Sovereignty: What it means and what it doesn’t | ShareAmerica. https://share.america.gov/sovereignty-what-it-means-and-what-it-doesnt/. (26) Differences Between Country and Nation | Nation vs Country — BYJU’S. https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/difference-between-country-and-nation/. (27) State, Nation and Nation-State: Clarifying Misused Terminology. https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog128/node/534. (28) Discover the Definition of a State, Sovereign State, Country, and Nation. https://www.thoughtco.com/country-state-and-nation-1433559. (29) undefined. https://market.us/report/underwater-drone-market/request-sample/. (30) Emergent Research Underwater Drones. https://www.emergenresearch.com/request-sample/761. (31) ONE NAVY-MARINE CORPS TEAM: STRATEGIC GUIDANCE FROM THE SECRETARY OF …. https://media.defense.gov/2021/Oct/07/2002870427/-1/-1/0/SECNAV%20STRATEGIC%20GUIDANCE_100721.PDF. (32) SECNAV Del Toro Outlines Top Priorities on Maritime Dominance, People …. https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/Press-Releases/display-pressreleases/Article/2805409/secnav-del-toro-outlines-top-priorities-on-maritime-dominance-people-strategic/.

Bonus Examples of Wartime, High Level, Overview of Use Cases for Underwater Drones;

Note: We have many more examples, but we chose to show only the ones that use publicly accessible technology to ease understanding. We also want to maintain the element of surprise for our potential challengers or advisories.

Underwater drones, or uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs), are changing the face of naval warfare. These stealthy and versatile machines can perform a variety of missions, from reconnaissance and surveillance to sabotage and attack. Different countries may use them differently, depending on their strategic goals and capabilities. Here is a hypothetical scenario of how China and Taiwan could use underwater drones in an invasion against each other.

China, as a rising superpower, has a large and modern navy that includes nuclear submarines, aircraft carriers, and destroyers. It also has a growing fleet of underwater drones, some of which are capable of carrying explosives or torpedoes. China’s main objective is to assert its sovereignty over Taiwan, which it considers a renegade province. To do so, it may use its underwater drones to:

• Conduct covert operations to spy on Taiwan’s naval activities, monitor its coastal defenses, and map its underwater terrain.
• Launch surprise attacks on Taiwan’s ports, ships, and submarines, using underwater drones as kamikaze weapons or as platforms to launch missiles or torpedoes.
• Create a blockade around Taiwan, using underwater drones to patrol the waters and intercept any incoming or outgoing vessels.
• Support its amphibious landing forces, using underwater drones to clear mines, provide cover fire, and disrupt Taiwan’s communications.

Taiwan, as a small and democratic island nation, has a limited and outdated navy that relies on the support of the United States and other allies. It also has some underwater drones, but they are mostly used for scientific research and exploration. Taiwan’s main objective is to defend its sovereignty and independence from China. To do so, it may use its underwater drones to:

• Conduct counter-intelligence operations to detect and track China’s naval movements, identify its underwater drone bases, and expose its vulnerabilities.
• Launch defensive attacks on China’s ships and submarines, using underwater drones as decoys, diversions, or distractions.
• Create a network of sensors and mines around Taiwan, using underwater drones to deploy and maintain them.
• Support its resistance forces, using underwater drones to deliver supplies, evacuate casualties, and relay information.

The outcome of this hypothetical scenario is uncertain, but it illustrates how underwater drones could play a crucial role in the future of naval warfare. Underwater drones are not only cheaper and more accessible than manned submarines, but they also offer more flexibility and creativity in their design and use. As more countries develop and deploy these machines, the undersea domain will become more contested and complex.

I have a vision that war is coming, and it’s not by my hand. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t have an obligation to prepare and safeguard our nation. We need to focus on advancing technology and consciousness symbiotically. SunSiteVR Aquadrone is one step towards creating a technological temple to scale human intelligence. It is a revolutionary underwater drone that uses LiDAR and Sonar to create accurate 3D models of the ocean. It also uses VR to provide immersive and realistic experiences of the underwater environment.

The ocean is the last frontier of our planet, and it holds many secrets and mysteries that we have yet to uncover. It is also a source of life, beauty, and inspiration for many cultures and civilizations. By using our underwater drone, we can map the ocean floor, study the marine ecosystems, and find new resources and opportunities. We can also protect the ocean from pollution, overfishing, and climate change.

The ocean is also a strategic domain for both nationalist and sovereign countries. Nationalist countries may use underwater drones to assert their dominance and influence in the maritime domain. They may use them to spy on their rivals, launch surprise attacks, or create blockades around their claimed territories. Sovereign countries may use underwater drones to improve their maritime knowledge and cooperation. They may use them to explore the ocean depths, monitor ocean pollution, or conduct humanitarian missions.

We may not know who will win the war, but we do foresee whoever has the best aqua drone definitely has the advantage. Our underwater drone is not only cheaper and more accessible than manned submarines, but it also offers more flexibility and creativity in its design and use. Our underwater drone can also provide us with valuable information and intelligence that can help us make better decisions and actions.

I invite you to join me in this journey of innovation and enlightenment. Together, we can create a better world for ourselves and all those who inherit what’s left of the world after the war.

Investor Relations Email:

Contact@SunSiteVR.Com