Underwater autonomous vessels and robots could play a substantial role in defense operations. However, submersibles have historically struggled to communicate across large distances unless they rose to the surface. Surfacing to transmit data poses the obvious risk of being exposed.
Skana Robotics believes it has made a breakthrough with underwater communications using artificial intelligence. This breakthrough does not rely on the large language models the industry often touts today. Instead, the Tel Aviv-based company has developed a new capability for its fleet management software system, called SeaSphere. This capability allows groups of vessels to communicate with each other underwater across long distances using AI.
The system enables vessels to share data and react to the information they receive from other robots. According to Skana, this gives individual units the ability to autonomously adapt to new information. They can change their course or task while still working toward the same general mission as the fleet. The startup says its software can also be used to secure underwater infrastructure and supply chains.
Communication between vessels is one of the main challenges during the deployment of multi-domain, multi-vessel operations. Idan Levy, the co-founder and CEO of Skana Robotics, explained that the problem they tackle is how to deploy hundreds of unmanned vessels in an operation, share data, and communicate both on the surface and underwater.
The research to develop this new capability was led by Teddy Lazebnik, an AI scientist and professor at the University of Haifa in Israel. Lazebnik stated that to build this decision-making algorithm, they could not turn to the latest AI technology. Instead, they had to use slightly older, more mathematically driven AI algorithms.
He noted that newer algorithms are more powerful but, as a result, are less predictable. By using older algorithms, you gain explainability, predictability, and generality, even if you pay for it in the performance or “wow effect” of the newer models.
Skana Robotics was founded in 2024 and exited stealth mode earlier this year. The company is currently focused on selling to governments and companies in Europe, as maritime threat levels increase due to the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Levy said the company is in talks for a sizable government contract that it hopes to close by the end of the year. In 2026, Skana hopes to release the commercial version of its product and start proving its technology in real-world conditions.
The goal is to demonstrate that the software can be used at scale. The team argues that their software can handle complex maneuvers and manage an operation effectively. They want admirals from European Union countries to test this argument and see for themselves that the technology delivers results.