In March 2026, the underwater thruster industry witnessed two key developments, representing two major directions: domestic standardized propulsion and the landing of international cutting-edge technology, driving the industry to upgrade toward high efficiency, low noise, deep sea adaptability and lightweight design. Domestically, ECO Marine Technology released the 2026 underwater thruster selection guide, integrating the full product line including T-series shaftless thrusters, U-series rim drive thrusters, and WD modular AUV power sections. It covers a water depth range from 50 meters to 3000 meters and a power range from 200W to 5kW. Adopting core technologies such as magnetic coupling sealing, CFD blade optimization and modular integration, it improves the standard selection criteria for domestic underwater power equipment, accelerates the substitution of imported European and American brands, achieves a cost reduction of 25% and shortens the delivery cycle by 50%, suitable for multiple industrial scenarios such as ROV inspection, deep-sea scientific research and aquaculture cage inspection.
Internationally, ECM cooperated with Poseidon’s Forge to launch the world's first DarkWake deep-sea AUV driven by PCB stator motor. With innovative technologies such as multi-layer PCB printed winding and coreless axial flux structure, the motor achieves 70% weight reduction, 80% volume reduction and energy efficiency over 90%, featuring 15dB noise reduction and ultra-low electromagnetic interference, adapting to 3000-meter deep-sea operation. It pioneers the large-scale application of PCB motors in deep-sea AUVs, providing a new power solution for high-end silent deep-sea exploration, military reconnaissance and other scenarios. The two major events boost the industry trend of "accelerated domestic substitution and diversified technical routes", promoting underwater power equipment to evolve toward higher efficiency, lower noise, lighter weight and wider scenario adaptability.
| Comparison Dimension | ECO Marine Technology 2026 Underwater Thruster Selection Guide | ECM × Poseidon’s Forge PCB Stator Motor AUV Cooperation |
|---|---|---|
| Release Time | March 2026 | March 2026 (London International Ocean Technology Exhibition) |
| Positioning | Complete product selection solution for domestic industrial-grade underwater thruster | International enterprise cooperation, PCB axial flux motor + deep-sea AUV technology implementation |
| Core Product Line | T-series shaftless thruster, U-series rim drive, WD modular AUV power section | Custom PCB stator axial flux motor, equipped with DarkWake deep-sea AUV |
| Core Technology | Magnetic coupling shaftless sealing, CFD blade simulation optimization, rim drive, modular integration | Multi-layer PCB printed winding, coreless axial flux structure, zero cogging torque, low EMI |
| Power Coverage | 200W～5kW | Single unit 1.2kW, follow-up plan for 2～5kW high-power version |
| Thrust Range | 5kg～50kg | Single unit thrust approx. 12kg |
| Pressure Resistance Depth | 50m～3000m | Adaptable to 3000-meter deep-sea operation |
| Core Advantages | 1. Full IP68 sealing for deep-sea adaptation 2. Propulsion efficiency increased by 10%–12%, noise reduction 3. Modular plug-and-play, greatly shortening integration cycle 4. Domestic substitution for imports, cost & delivery optimization | 1. 70% lighter weight & 80% smaller volume vs traditional motors 2. Energy efficiency over 90%, cruising range increased by 30% with same battery 3. Zero torque ripple, 15dB noise reduction, acoustic stealth 4. Ultra-low EMI, no interference with sonar & magnetometer precision equipment |
| Application Scenarios | ROV underwater inspection, deep-sea scientific research, aquaculture cage inspection, unmanned surface vessel, industrial underwater operation, large AUV platform | Silent deep-sea exploration, marine biological observation, military reconnaissance, high-end customized AUV, lightweight diving thruster |
| Industry Value | Improve domestic underwater power standard selection, accelerate substitution of European and American imported thrusters | Pioneer large-scale application of PCB stator motor in deep-sea AUV, define next-generation lightweight & silent underwater power technical route |
| Target Customers | Marine engineering, research institutes, underwater equipment integrators, ROV/AUV manufacturers | High-end deep-sea equipment R&D, marine military equipment, cutting-edge marine scientific research institutions |
