Latvian science-based technology, or Deep Tech startup SIA “SUBmerge Baltic” 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, and has now reached the stage of product commercialization. Its solutions are being tested and implemented in cooperation with its first clients in Latvia and abroad, while export projects are being developed in Europe, the Middle East, and other international markets. One of the company’s key competitive advantages is its proprietary navigation technology, which has made it possible to reduce the cost of one of the most expensive components of an underwater drone – navigation sensors – by up to five times.
The underwater environment is one of the most technologically challenging operating environments in the world. GPS does not work underwater, 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 – seas and oceans contain critical energy, communications, and transport infrastructure, the security of which is becoming increasingly important in both civilian and defence sectors.
The company originated within the environment of Riga Technical University (RTU), 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 Kārlis Bērziņš explains, initially the team was not looking for a specific industry problem, but wanted to create a competitive technology. The choice to focus on underwater robotics was deliberate – at a time when the market for aerial drones already seemed saturated, underwater systems remained a comparatively underdeveloped niche in which new added value could be created.
“Our goal is not to build one very expensive robot, but to create a scalable and cost-effective underwater drone. That is precisely why we have devoted significant attention to navigation technologies, as they represent one of the most significant cost components of the drone,” explains Kārlis Bērziņš.
Alongside underwater drones, the company is also developing autonomous control technologies – a set 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, mainly for the needs of 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 range 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 cost of the drone itself and makes the technology much easier to scale,” explains Kārlis Bērziņš.
The company’s solutions have broad dual-use 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, conducting hydrographic measurements, and inspecting offshore energy infrastructure. In the defence and internal security sectors, they can be used for reconnaissance, mine clearance, search and rescue operations, as well as ensuring port security. Such solutions are becoming particularly relevant in the Baltic Sea region, where underwater cables and energy infrastructure are strategically important assets.
“In principle, anything related to the underwater environment can be an area of application for our solutions. However, our priorities are cable and long-distance inspections, hydrography, and the defence sector,” says Kārlis Bērziņš.
“SUBmerge Baltic” has already tested its technology and is cooperating 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 being driven by the extensive development of oil, gas, and other underwater infrastructure.
The company’s technology is also relevant in Ukraine, where it is cooperating with local partners to develop solutions for mine clearance and infrastructure inspections. The company has also established a representative office in Ukraine, and plans to increase the number of drones deployed there by the end of the year.
Alongside its 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, allowing the autonomous operation of drones to be tested even before trials in the water. In the future, the company plans to develop it as a separate product for training drone operators. At the same time, “SUBmerge Baltic” continues its development in the incubation programme of LIAA’s Technology Representation in Riga, using support for the company’s growth and export development.
“Under normal circumstances, many things would have to be tested in the water, but in a simulated environment we can test missions, autonomy capabilities, and detect errors much earlier. This makes it possible to accelerate software development,” explains Kārlis Bērziņš.
The company currently employs 13 people – from students to experienced engineers and researchers. Manufacturing is organised in cooperation with outsourcing partners, while “SUBmerge Baltic” focuses on technology development, testing, and quality control. This model allows the company to scale more quickly and, in the future, establish local manufacturing partners in different markets.
This year, the company plans to produce 20–30 drones, increasing production to approximately 100 units next year. Over the next three years, the company aims to have its technology used in at least 200 robotic systems. The company’s main target markets are Europe, the United States, and the Middle East, while it is also looking towards the Asian region in the future. In the long term, “SUBmerge Baltic” aims to become one of Europe’s leading developers of underwater systems technology.
The programme is funded within the framework of Measure 1.2.1.4 “Support for the Improvement of the Technology Transfer System” under Specific Objective 1.2.1 “Strengthening Research and Innovation Capacities and the Uptake of Advanced Technologies by Enterprises” of the European Union Cohesion Policy Programme 2021–2027.
