Coast Guard to invest $350 million in robotics and autonomous systems
Written by Heather Ervin
The U.S. Coast Guard announced yesterday it will invest nearly $350 million to expand robotics and autonomous systems, a move aimed at enhancing maritime operations, improving safety, and strengthening the service’s ability to respond to emergencies along U.S. waterways and coasts.
The funding, provided under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), includes $11 million in fiscal year 2025 for immediate upgrades to critical unmanned systems.
Initial investments include:
- $4.8 million to procure 16 VideoRay Defender remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) for Deployable Specialized Forces.
- $2 million for six Qinetiq Squad Packable Utility Robot (SPUR) and 12 mini-SPUR unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) for Coast Guard Strike Teams.
- $4.3 million for 125 SkyDio X10D short-range unmanned aircraft systems (SR-UAS).
“These unmanned systems provide increased domain awareness, mitigating risk and enhancing mission success as the Coast Guard continues to operate in hazardous environments,” said Anthony Antognoli, the Coast Guard’s first RAS program executive officer. “The Coast Guard’s mission demands agility, awareness and adaptability. Robotics and autonomous systems deliver all three, enabling us to respond faster, operate smarter and extend our reach where it matters most. We are not waiting for the future to arrive. We are delivering it to the fleet today.”
The new ROVs will support waterfront and pier inspections, hull assessments, subsurface infrastructure surveys, disaster response, and search and rescue—reducing reliance on Coast Guard divers and improving operational safety. Strike Teams will use the UGVs to enter confined spaces aboard vessels, including during responses to hazardous material spills and major marine casualties. The SR-UAS will expand capabilities for post-storm surveys, ice monitoring, pollution response, and infrastructure inspections.
The investments mark the first phase of a broader robotics and autonomous systems initiative the Coast Guard will pursue with OBBBA funding. The effort is part of Force Design 2028, the service’s plan to integrate new technologies and increase agility across missions at sea and in U.S. ports.
