6. Bluefin-21 by General Dynamics
With its modular construction and exceptional acoustic capabilities, the Bluefin-21 epitribes sophisticated military-grade AUV technologies. Operating at depths up to 4,500 meters, this 16-foot vehicle shines on deep-water survey operations. Its sophisticated inertial navigation system guarantees exact location, and its advanced lithium-polymer battery system runs up to 25 hours. Among the other payload choices available on the AUV are synthetic aperture sonar, side-scan sonar, and video cameras. Military uses as well as commercial undersea surveys have chosen it because of its strong build-ability and dependability.