A team in Xi’an, China, set a Guinness World Records mark by operating 116 autonomous underwater vehicles at the same time. In a university outdoor pool, the compact craft navigated a predetermined route in formation using onboard visual perception, according to Northwestern Polytechnical University. The demonstration was underwater—not an aerial drone swarm—and took place in a controlled pool rather than open water.
What record did the team set?
Guinness World Records lists the achievement under the title “Most autonomous underwater vehicles operating simultaneously.” It credits Northwestern Polytechnical University and Xi’an Tianhe Maritime Technologies Co., Ltd. as co-holders. The official count was 116 vehicles, recorded in Xi’an on 29 August 2026. Guinness World Records’ listing gives the venue as an outdoor university pool measuring 50 meters by 20 meters.
Although the headline calls them drones, these were underwater autonomous vehicles, not flying quadcopters. The record concerns how many vehicles operated simultaneously; it is not a record for underwater distance, depth, speed, or an operational ocean mission.
How did 116 vehicles navigate together?
Northwestern Polytechnical University says the TH-618 vehicles were deployed one after another, then entered autonomous underwater navigation. They used real-time visual perception to coordinate and maintain formation while following a predetermined route. The university says the vehicles operated without human intervention during the run. Its report, published 29 September 2026, describes the demonstration as 34 minutes of stable operation along a route exceeding 500 meters.
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The university identifies underwater navigation as a difficult setting: wireless signals and satellite navigation are unavailable underwater, real-time command transmission is not possible, and visibility and environmental perception can be limited. In this demonstration, the reported approach relied on the vehicles’ visual perception to support coordinated movement rather than on continuous remote steering.
What the record demonstration did—and did not—show
What was demonstrated
- Simultaneous operation of 116 autonomous underwater vehicles in a 50-by-20-meter outdoor pool.
- Formation navigation along a predetermined route longer than 500 meters, completed after 34 minutes, according to the university.
- Autonomous operation without human intervention during the run, as described by the university.
What was not demonstrated
- An open-water mission, seabed survey, or deployment at sea.
- Pipeline inspection or seabed mapping. Those are possible applications discussed in secondary coverage, not tasks established as part of the record attempt. SlashGear’s coverage mentions them as potential uses.
- A general benchmark for how long or how far underwater vehicle swarms can operate. The 34-minute run and route length apply to this reported demonstration.
What are the TH-618 vehicles?
Northwestern Polytechnical University reports that each TH-618 is 61.5 centimeters long, 20 centimeters wide, and 28 centimeters high, with a mass of 5.14 kilograms. The university also lists a maximum cruising range of 30 kilometers and continuous operation of more than eight hours. These are university-reported specifications; they are not independent test results, and the record run itself was the 34-minute pool demonstration.
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The university says its research program has worked on underwater information sensing, target detection, and intelligent unmanned vehicles since 2010. It describes the university-industry partnership as spanning research, system design, precision manufacturing, and industrialization.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the achievement matters
Coordinating many vehicles underwater is different from coordinating aircraft or land robots because underwater communications and navigation are constrained. The record demonstrates that this particular group of purpose-built vehicles could maintain formation and follow a route in a controlled pool setting. It does not by itself establish readiness for longer, more complex missions in the ocean.
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The university says the team plans to continue exploring marine exploration and underwater operations. That points to possible future work, not a claim that those applications were completed during the record attempt.
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