Autonomous underwater vessels have long faced a critical hurdle: reliable long-distance communication without surfacing, a necessity that often exposes them to risk. Tel Aviv-based startup Skana Robotics claims to have overcome this challenge with an innovative AI-powered solution.
The company has developed a new capability for its SeaSphere fleet management software, enabling groups of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) to communicate seamlessly across vast distances beneath the waves. This breakthrough allows vessels to share vital data and autonomously react to information received from other robots, adapting their course or tasks while maintaining overall mission objectives. Skana also highlights the potential for its software to bolster the security of 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, co-founder and CEO of Skana Robotics, told TechCrunch. “The problem that we tackle is how you can deploy hundreds of unmanned vessels in an operation, share data, communicate on the surface level and under the water.”
The artificial intelligence behind this advanced communication system was spearheaded by Teddy Lazebnik, an AI scientist and professor at the University of Haifa in Israel. Lazebnik explained that rather than relying on the latest large language models, the team opted for "older" and "more mathematically driven" AI algorithms to build their decision-making system. He noted that while newer algorithms might offer a "wow effect," these established methods provide superior explainability, predictability, and generality—qualities crucial for reliable autonomous operations.
Founded in 2024 and emerging from stealth mode earlier this year, Skana Robotics is initially focusing its sales efforts on governments and companies in Europe. This strategic focus comes as maritime threat levels are escalating, partly due to ongoing geopolitical conflicts.
Looking ahead, Levy revealed that Skana Robotics is currently in discussions for a substantial government contract, with hopes of finalizing it by the end of the year. The company plans to release a commercial version of its product in 2026, aiming to demonstrate its technology's scalability and real-world effectiveness.
“We want to show we can use this in scale,” Lazebnik added. “We argue that our software can handle complex maneuvers, etc. We want to show it. We claim we know how to manage an operation. We want admirals from EU and in EU countries to actually check this argument and see by themselves that we actually get results.”
