Abstract: As the main carrier for the development and utilization of marine resources, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) need accurate positioning information when performing tasks. The main navigation mode of AUV is based on strap-down inertial navigation system (SINS), assisted by acoustic navigation and geophysical field matching. This paper introduces the basic principles, advantages and disadvantages and application scenarios of various underwater navigation modes. The key technologies of various navigation modes are researched to improve the precision and stability of integrated navigation. By analyzing the existing problems at present, the future development trend of underwater navigation is forecasted.