Move over, aerial drones—the deep blue is getting its own high-tech limelight. In a massive display of aquatic automation, a Chinese research team has just shattered the Guinness World Record for the “most autonomous underwater vehicles operating simultaneously.”

Teaming up with Xian Tianhe Maritime Technologies, researchers from Northwestern Polytechnical University deployed an astounding 116 underwater robots, known as TH-618s, in a swimming pool test. Forget remote controls and human intervention; these pint-sized aquatic drones navigated entirely on their own. Relying purely on real-time data and their preset routes, the swarm flawlessly executed complex formation navigation for 34 minutes across 500 meters under the watchful eyes of Guinness World Record officials.

This record-breaking flex not only highlights China’s rapid advancements in autonomous tech but also points to an increasingly automated future for marine exploration, environmental monitoring, and aquatic logistics. As Gen Z grows up in a world where AI and robotics seamlessly integrate into daily life, seeing over a hundred robots gracefully synchronize underwater feels less like sci-fi and more like the new normal. We can only imagine what this swarm technology will look like when it scales from the swimming pool to the open ocean.

Cover image via SCMP.