The Underwater Robotics Technology National Key Laboratory is affiliated with Harbin Engineering University, which was originally the PLA Military Engineering Institute established in 1953. Harbin Engineering University is a key national university and one of the first batch of universities included in the "211 Project." It is jointly sponsored by the National Defense Science and Technology Commission, the Ministry of Education, the Heilongjiang Provincial Government, and the Navy. In 2011, its "Modern Ship and Deep Sea Engineering" was listed as a national "Advantageous Discipline Innovation Platform." The university is currently under the administration of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. It carries forward the fine tradition of "Harbin Military Industry" and adheres to the university spirit of "national interests first," "putting the needs of the motherland as the top priority, defense requirements as the primary mission, and people's satisfaction as the highest standard." The university adheres to the "Three Seas and One Core" (shipbuilding industry, navy equipment, and nuclear energy development) service characteristic and takes it as the school's educational strategy.

In November 2002, the former National Defense Science and Technology Commission and the General Equipment Department issued the "Reply on the Approval of the Underwater Robotics Technology National Key Laboratory Project." The Key Laboratory began macro design and preparation, and related research work proceeded simultaneously. The research directions of the Key Laboratory were determined as follows: (1) system architecture and intelligent control technology; (2) sound and non-sound environment and target perception technology; (3) marine environment adaptation technology. In October 2006, the construction of the Key Laboratory's new office building and comprehensive experimental pool officially commenced. In February 2010, the State Administration of National Defense Science, Technology and Industry issued the "Reply on the Acceptance of the Underwater Robotics Technology National Key Laboratory Project," indicating that the Key Laboratory passed the acceptance.

The Key Laboratory is committed to major strategic needs for national naval equipment development and marine development strategy. Its mission is to support research on underwater robotics and other equipment, focusing on basic research and key technological breakthroughs in the three research directions. It conducts in-depth research in the field of marine unmanned systems, emphasizing swarm intelligence and green technology as new technological connotations. After more than ten years of construction and operation, it has become a research base for underwater robotics technology in China and a training base for high-level composite talents. Since its establishment, the Key Laboratory has undertaken over a hundred research projects commissioned by the National Defense Science and Technology Commission, the General Equipment Department, the Navy equipment department, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Defense Natural Science Foundation, and industry-related research institutes and production units. It has received nine provincial and ministerial-level awards for scientific research achievements, including four second-class prizes for national defense scientific and technological progress and one third-class prize. It has also published 178 national invention patents and holds 42 software copyrights, with a total of 535 academic papers published in domestic and international journals and conferences.