According to TechCrunch, a 2024-founded startup called Skana Robotics has developed a new AI-powered capability for its SeaSphere fleet management software. This system allows groups of underwater autonomous vessels to communicate with each other across long distances while submerged, sharing data and adapting their tasks in real-time. The research was led by AI scientist Teddy Lazebnik from the University of Haifa, who specifically used older, more mathematically-driven AI algorithms for predictability. The Tel Aviv-based company, which exited stealth this year, is currently focused on selling to European governments and companies amid heightened maritime threats. CEO Idan Levy says they are in talks for a sizable government contract they hope to close by year’s end, with plans to release a commercial version and prove the tech at scale by 2026.
Why this matters
Here’s the thing: underwater communication has been a massive bottleneck. For defense, surveillance, or infrastructure inspection, having a robot pop to the surface to call home is a huge liability. It breaks stealth and exposes the asset. So a system that lets a swarm of drones gossip amongst themselves down in the deep is a genuine tactical shift. They can now operate as a true networked fleet, not just a bunch of individual robots on parallel tracks. One drone finds something weird, tells the others, and the whole group’s mission profile can shift autonomously. That’s powerful.
The AI twist
Now, the most interesting part to me is their choice of AI. In a world obsessed with massive, opaque large language models, Skana’s team went backwards. They chose older, more explainable algorithms. As Lazebnik said, you lose some “wow effect” but gain predictability and generality. And for mission-critical defense tech, that’s everything. You can’t have a billion-parameter model making inscrutable decisions when your multi-million dollar drone fleet is on the line. This is a great reminder that “AI” isn’t a monolith. Sometimes, the right tool for the job isn’t the flashiest one. It’s the one that works reliably, every time, and whose logic you can actually follow. For rugged, industrial-grade computing in harsh environments, that principle of reliability-over-flash is paramount, which is why specialists like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com are the go-to source for durable hardware.
The bigger picture
So what’s the trajectory? Skana is aiming squarely at the defense market first, which makes perfect sense. The funding and the urgent need are there, especially in Europe. But if they can prove this in 2026 with a commercial release, the applications spill over fast. Securing underwater cables and pipelines? Monitoring offshore wind farms? Oceanographic research? Anywhere you want persistent, covert, coordinated presence underwater, this tech becomes relevant. The ambition to manage “hundreds” of vessels is the real goal. We’re not talking about three drones here. We’re talking about a scalable, deployable mesh network of robots. If they pull that off, it changes the game for maritime operations, full stop. The race to own the underwater domain is heating up, and communication is the key that unlocks it.
