Latvian start-up developing underwater drones for protecting critical infrastructure

SUBmerge Baltic, a Latvian science-based technology (‘deep-tech’) start-up, is developing autonomous underwater drones designed for infrastructure inspections, port security, hydrography, mine clearance and other complex underwater tasks. The company has been operating in the market since 2022, focusing on technology development during its first years of operation, but has now moved on to commercialising its products. Its solutions are being tested and implemented in collaboration with its first clients in Latvia and abroad, whilst simultaneously developing export projects in Europe, the Middle East and other international markets. One of the company’s key competitive advantages is its proprietary navigation technology, which has enabled it to reduce the cost of one of the most expensive underwater drone components – the navigation sensor – by up to five times.

The underwater environment is one of the most technologically challenging operating environments in the world. GPS does not work there, visibility is often limited, and precise navigation requires expensive sensors and a high level of engineering expertise. At the same time, demand for underwater solutions is growing rapidly – the seas and oceans are where critically important energy, communications and transport infrastructure assets are located, the security of which is becoming increasingly important in both the civilian and defence sectors.

The company was founded within the Riga Technical University (RTU) community, where its co-founders and CEO Kārlis Bērziņš decided during their studies to turn their interest in robotics and entrepreneurship into a practical product. As Mr Bērziņš explains, initially the team was not looking to address a specific industry problem, but wanted to create a competitive technology. The decision to focus on underwater robotics was a conscious one – at a time when the market for aerial drones already seemed saturated, underwater systems were still a relatively underdeveloped niche where it was possible to create new added value.

“Our aim is not to build a single, very expensive robot, but to create a scalable and cost-effective underwater drone. That is precisely why we have focused heavily on navigation technologies, as they represent one of the most significant cost drivers for a drone,” Mr Bērziņš explains.

Alongside underwater drones, the company is also developing autonomous control technologies – a suite of software and algorithms that can be integrated into various robotic systems, enabling them to navigate and operate independently underwater.

Underwater drones are not a new technology – the first such solutions were developed as early as the 1970s and 1980s, primarily for the oil and gas industry, to inspect offshore platforms and other underwater infrastructure. However, these systems have traditionally been very expensive, complex and intended for a narrow circle of professional users. “Navigation sensors are one of the most expensive components of an underwater drone. By developing our own navigation sensors, algorithms and calibration solutions, we are able to reduce the cost of these sensors by up to five times. This also reduces the price of the drone itself and makes the technology much easier to scale,”Mr Bērziņš explains.

The company’s solutions have a wide range of dual applications, covering both civilian and defence needs. In the civilian sector, they can be used for inspecting underwater cables and other critical

infrastructure, surveying ports, hydrographic measurements and inspections of offshore energy infrastructure. In the defence and home affairs sector, meanwhile, they can be used for reconnaissance, mine clearance, search and rescue operations, and ensuring port security. Such solutions are becoming particularly relevant in the Baltic Sea region, where submarine cables and energy infrastructure are strategically important assets.

“In principle, anything related to the underwater environment can be a field of application for our solutions. However, our priority is on cable and long-distance inspections, hydrography and defence,” notes Mr Bērziņš.

SUBmerge Baltic has already carried out testing of the technology and is collaborating with several potential clients in Latvia and abroad. One of the most promising directions at present is Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea region, where demand for such technologies is driven by the extensive development of oil, gas and other submarine infrastructure.

The company’s technology is also relevant in Ukraine, where it is working with local partners to develop solutions for mine clearance and infrastructure inspections. A representative office has also been established in Ukraine, and there are plans to increase the number of drones deployed there by the end of the year.

Alongside drones, the company is also developing software and simulation solutions. With the support of an innovation voucher from the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA), a high-precision underwater physics simulator has been developed, which allows the autonomous operation of drones to be tested even before trials in water. In the future, the company plans to develop this further as a standalone product for training drone operators. At the same time, SUBmerge Baltic is continuing its development within the LIAA Technology Representative Office’s incubation programme in Riga, utilising support for the company’s growth and export development.

“Under normal circumstances, many things would have to be tested in water, but in a simulated environment we can test mission and autonomy capabilities, and detect errors much earlier. This allows us to speed up software development,” Mr Bērziņš explains.

The company currently employs 13 people ranging from students to experienced engineers and researchers. Manufacturing is organised in collaboration with outsourcing partners, whilst SUBmerge Baltic focuses on technology development, testing and quality control. This model enables the company to scale up more quickly and, in the future, to establish local manufacturing partners in various markets.

This year, the company plans to produce 20–30 drones, whilst next year it aims to increase production to around 100 units. Over the next three years, the company’s goal is to ensure that its technology is used in at least 200 robotic systems. The company’s main target markets are Europe, the United States and the Middle East, but it is also looking towards Asia in the future. In the long term, SUBmerge Baltic aims to become one of Europe’s leading developers of underwater systems technology.

Information material prepared with the support of the European Regional Development Fund

Photos by Jānis Štāls