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Global Underwater Hub has established a new Underwater Robotics and Autonomy Forum designed to accelerate cross-sector collaboration and innovation within the UK’s subsea technology industry.
The forum serves as a dedicated platform for robotics organizations to share expertise and advance the development of autonomous, remotely operated, and unmanned underwater systems. While subsea operations currently lead the national demand for automation, the forum intends to focus on applications that function beyond human capability, supporting the United Kingdom’s goal of maintaining a leadership position in the global subsea robotics market.
Initial priorities for the group include addressing the requirement for more testing facilities for new equipment, navigating insurance and regulatory hurdles, and improving the interface between technology developers and offshore operators. Participating members of the forum include industry players such as Soil Machine Dynamics (SMD), DeepOcean, Helix Robotics Solutions, High Performance Robotics (HPR), Kraken, Rovtech, ROVOP, Saipem, and The National Robotarium.
Mark Collins, business development director at Soil Machine Dynamics and chair of the Underwater Robotics and Autonomy Forum, commented, “Every energy sector relies on robotics and autonomous systems in some form, and their role will only become more important as offshore industries scale up and operate in increasingly challenging environments. The forum brings together expertise from across GUH’s membership to help coordinate activity, encourage cross-sector collaboration and ensure the UK supply chain is well positioned to support growing demand for advanced underwater technologies in offshore energy, defence, marine science and other markets.”
The launch of the forum precedes the Underwater Robotics Conference 2026, which is scheduled to take place at the Murrayfield Stadium Conference Centre in Edinburgh on June 30, 2026. The one-day event will gather operators, developers, and the wider supply chain to discuss the application of underwater robotic technologies.
Neil Gordon, chief executive of Global Underwater Hub, added, “Global Underwater Hub has long been a champion of the UK’s subsea robotics industry through our annual Underwater Robotics Conference. The creation of the new Underwater Robotics and Autonomy Forum, as a core part of our Strategic Programme, marks an important next step in strengthening collaboration across the sector. Robotics will play a critical role in the next-generation installation and operations and maintenance phases identified within the offshore wind sector’s Industrial Growth Plan.
“Through this forum and our upcoming conference, we want to highlight the support, investment and collaboration needed to accelerate innovation in subsea robotics, while helping to create new opportunities and greater diversification for the UK supply chain.”
In preparation for the 2026 event, the organization has opened a call for speakers. Interested parties are invited to submit abstracts by March 30, 2026, focusing on areas such as data acquisition, artificial intelligence, seabed crawlers, and developments in Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs) or Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs).
The conference is headline sponsored by SMD, with SAAB serving as an event sponsor. Registration for the Edinburgh gathering is currently open, with bookings for attendees set to close on June 23, 2026.
