Japan Unveils Urashima 8000 Underwater Drone Capable of Diving 8,000 Meters Under the Sea

The Yomiuri Shimbun

1:00 JST, May 14, 2025

The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology on Monday showed the press its newest autonomous underwater vehicle, the Urashima 8000, in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture.

The submarine is about 10 meters long and capable of diving to 8,000 meters under the sea, a depth that is more than double what the previous model was capable of.

After underwater cruise tests, the sub will begin full-fledged operations from next fiscal year.

The vehicle can survey over 98% of Japan’s exclusive economic zone. It is also expected to be used for exploring offshore natural resources.

The previous model in the Urashima series can dive up to 3,500 meters under the sea and survey 45% of Japan’s EEZ.

Work began on a new model in 2022. The vehicle’s pressure-resistant container, which is inside the hull and contains important devices, was changed from aluminum to titanium so that it can endure higher pressures.

According to the agency, the Urashima 8000 boasts the deepest diving depth of any cruising AUV, or autonomous underwater vehicles that are able to navigate wide swathes of the sea.

The new model also consumes less electricity and can operate underwater for about 40 hours straight. That is a more than 50% increase in time from the previous model.

In its ocean floor surveys using sonar, the Urashima 8000 can scan about 100 square kilometers of seabed per dive.

The agency is scheduled to conduct the underwater cruise tests over the Japan Trench off the Boso Peninsula in July and August.

“We will be able to search for seafloor deposits and check for deformation of the sea floor caused by earthquakes more efficiently,” said Takeshi Nakatani, acting group leader of the agency’s Engineering Department.