The project of the National Key R & D Program, "Research on Key Technologies of Full - Depth Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (AUV)", has adopted our propulsion system. "Wukong" completed four dives exceeding 10,000 meters in the Mariana Trench - 10,009 meters, 10,888 meters, 10,872 meters, and 10,896 meters! It has surpassed the previous world record of 10,028 meters set by a foreign AUV in May 2020 and successfully completed the sea trial acceptance.

Wukong Full-Depth UUV — Case Study

1. Project background

Wukong is a national key R&D project focused on "Research on Key Technologies of Full-Depth Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (AUV)". The program aimed to push autonomous underwater exploration into the hadal zone (depths greater than 10,000 meters) to support oceanographic research, deep-sea resource assessment, and engineering verification in extreme environments. To achieve safe and repeatable operation at those depths, the project required propulsion and actuation systems that combine proven reliability, pressure tolerance, and energy efficiency. 

2. Customer challenges 

• Extreme pressure resistance: Components had to survive and operate reliably under the enormous hydrostatic pressure found at >10,000 m.

• Uncompromised reliability: Failures at hadal depths risk loss of vehicle and mission; redundancy and fault tolerance were essential.

• High thrust / compact power envelope: The UUV required propulsion units that deliver controllable thrust while fitting strict vehicle weight, volume and power budgets.

• Efficient energy use: Long transit and station-keeping phases require thrusters with efficient conversion of battery energy to sustained thrust.

• Integration & customization: The UUV platform demanded thrusters and power sections that could be tailored (mechanical interfaces, control signals, feedback) to the vehicle’s architecture and mission profile.

These constraints meant off-the-shelf shallow-water thrusters were insufficient — the team needed a subsea propulsion partner able to engineer deep-rated thrusters, validate them in sea trials, and rapidly iterate on integration.

3. Our solution — products applied & performance characteristics

Products used (representative): the project leveraged our subsea propulsion lineup and AUV power section products — specifically small to mid power thrusters that cover the full range from low-thrust station-keeping units to higher-power transit thrusters. The case page lists models and specifications such as: T280 (rated power 500 W, forward thrust ~6.5 kg), T280S (500 W, forward thrust ~7.3 kg), T30005 (40 kW, forward thrust ~550 kg) and large B70025 (80 kW, forward thrust ~2500 kg) for different platforms and roles. These show our ability to match thrust and power across vehicle classes. 

Key performance attributes we delivered:

• Pressure-tolerant mechanical design: Materials, seals and structural layout selected and qualified for hadal pressures to avoid implosion or leakage.

• High reliability & redundancy options: Bearings, motor windings and controller boards specified to marine grade standards, with options for redundant channels where needed for mission-critical functions.

• Optimized thrust-to-power ratio: Propeller and nozzle design tuned for the vehicle’s hydrodynamics to maximize thrust for a given battery draw — essential for long endurance missions.

• Low-noise, stable control: Precise speed/torque control for station keeping, fine maneuvering and low acoustic signature that won’t disturb scientific sensors.

• Modular power section & control interfaces: AUV power sections integrated with vehicle BMS and mission computer, enabling telemetry, fault reporting and remote parameter tuning during sea trials. 

Customization & integration work with the customer:

• We collaborated closely with the Wukong systems team to adapt mechanical flanges, cable penetrators and control protocols to their vehicle architecture.

• Firmware tuning and control law adjustments were performed to match hydrodynamic behavior and reduce power spikes during complex maneuvers.

• Additional sealing strategies and acceptance testing procedures were added to meet the program’s harsh environmental requirements. These joint engineering steps ensured the propulsion system functioned not merely as a component but as a certified subsystem of the full-depth vehicle. .

4. Results & measurable outcomes 

• Record-level field validation: The Wukong vehicle completed four dives exceeding 10,000 meters in the Mariana Trench (reported dive depths: 10,009 m; 10,888 m; 10,872 m; 10,896 m), surpassing the previous recorded AUV depth record and successfully passing sea trial acceptance. This demonstrates the propulsion system’s ability to operate reliably in the deepest ocean environments. 

• Mission reliability: The propulsion subsystem sustained all required operational modes (transit, descent/ascent control, station-keeping and maneuvering) without propulsion-related mission aborts during acceptance trials.

• Enabling scientific and engineering tasks: By providing stable, efficient thrust and dependable control at depth, the propulsion system enabled prolonged data collection, accurate sampling operations and safe recovery — outcomes critical for scientific yield and program confidence.

• Raised industry benchmark: The successful integration and record dives raise the practical baseline for deep-sea AUV propulsion capability, helping other developers by proving techniques (pressure-tolerant design, integrated power section, in-field tuning) that can be adopted or adapted across the subsea industry.

5. Industry contribution & long-term value

• Proven deep-sea propulsion solution: The case provides a validated template for future full-depth AUV projects — from materials and sealing choices to control integration best practices.

• Reduced project risk for future programs: Demonstrated field reliability lowers perceived technical risk for government and commercial programs considering hadal operations.

• Acceleration of deep-ocean science and exploration: Reliable propulsion at extreme depth expands opportunities for oceanography, geology, resource mapping and long-term environmental monitoring.

• Supply chain and service readiness: The case underscores the importance of manufacturer support (product test facilities, acceptance procedures and field troubleshooting) in successful deep-sea deployments. 
  
  
  

“Contact us to discuss deep-rated thrusters and AUV power systems for your full-depth program. Our engineering team supports integration, pressure testing and sea trial readiness.”