Liquid Robotics
Liquid Robotics designs and manufactures the Wave Glider, the first wave- and solar-powered autonomous unmanned surface vehicle (USV), serving defense, government, and ocean-research customers with persistent maritime surveillance and ocean-data collection.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersSunnyvale, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Liquid Robotics does
Liquid Robotics, Inc., founded in 2007 and headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, designs and manufactures the Wave Glider, the first wave- and solar-powered autonomous unmanned surface vehicle (USV). The platform consists of a surface float, a powered umbilical, and a sub-surface glider that converts ocean wave motion into forward propulsion while harvesting solar energy for onboard electronics and payloads, enabling continuous 24x7 operations for months without refueling or crew. The product portfolio now spans the Wave Glider SV3, the larger SV5 (launched May 2025) with more than triple payload capacity and doubled solar power collection, and a forthcoming SV6 referenced in the 2026 Japan FMS award.
Liquid Robotics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Liquid Robotics
- Legal name
- Liquid Robotics, Inc.
- Website
- https://liquid-robotics.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Liquid Robotics designs and manufactures the Wave Glider, the first wave- and solar-powered autonomous unmanned surface vehicle (USV), serving defense, government, and ocean-research customers with persistent maritime surveillance and ocean-data collection.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Liquid Robotics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Autonomous Marine Robotics
- NAICS
- Ship and Boat Building (33661), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)
- SIC
- Water Transportation (4400), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Marine & Underwater Robotics (USVs/UUVs) (HDAAAIAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Propellers & Waterjets (IMAJAHAE)
Keywords
Where Liquid Robotics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sunnyvale
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Liquid Robotics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Wave Glider USV Sales: Direct sales of Wave Glider unmanned surface vehicles to defense, government, and commercial customers. Platform sales include various configurations (SV3, SV5) with modular payload capabilities.
- Mission Services: Ongoing mission support, deployment services, and operational management for Wave Glider fleets including data collection and delivery services.
- Technology Integration Partnerships: Joint development and integration of specialized sensors and systems (sonar, communications) into the Wave Glider platform for specific mission requirements.
- Co-production and Manufacturing Partnerships: Licensed manufacturing partnerships such as the Sagar Defence Engineering facility in Pune, India producing Wave Glider platforms for regional markets.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Commercial USV Platform |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Liquid Robotics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Liquid Robotics designs and manufactures the Wave Glider, an unmanned surface vehicle that harvests ocean wave energy for propulsion and solar energy for onboard power. The platform comprises a surface float, a powered umbilical, and a sub-surface glider, and supports modular sensor payloads for missions including maritime domain awareness, ocean data collection, and undersea surveillance. The company also offers mission services, a researchers program, fleet management software, and licensed co-production manufacturing with regional partners.
Product overview
Liquid Robotics offers the Wave Glider family of wave and solar powered Uncrewed Surface Vehicles (USVs), which includes the original Wave Glider platform, the hybrid Wave Glider SV3 (the world's first hybrid wave and solar propelled ocean robot), and the new larger Wave Glider SV5 launched in 2025. The product portfolio is complemented by Mission Services for operational support, the Wave Glider for Researchers Program providing discounted access for academic institutions, and the hosted WGMS software subscription for fleet management. The Wave Glider platforms serve defense applications (Maritime Domain Awareness, Anti-Submarine Warfare, ISR) and environmental assessment missions, all powered exclusively by wave and solar energy for multi-month persistent operations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Wave Glider SV5: A larger Wave Glider USV variant at over five meters in length with more than triple payload capacity compared to SV3, supporting multiple payloads and complex configurations.
- Wave Gliders for Researchers Program
- Liquid Robotics Oil & Gas (JV)
Products and services
- Wave Glider Unmanned surface vehicle (USV) that harvests ocean wave energy for propulsion and solar energy for onboard power, used for persistent maritime domain awareness, ocean data collection, and undersea surveillance.
- Wave Glider SV3 Specific Wave Glider model in the company's USV lineup, sold as a standalone platform.
- Wave Glider SV5 Largest and most capable Wave Glider platform in the company's lineup, sold as a standalone USV.
- Wave Glider Mission Services Service offering where Liquid Robotics operates Wave Gliders on behalf of customers for data collection and maritime missions.
- Wave Glider for Researchers Program Subscription-style program that gives academic and scientific researchers access to Wave Glider platforms for ocean science missions.
- Wave Glider Management System (WGMS) Software platform for managing and operating Wave Glider fleets, offered as a software subscription.
- Wave Glider Co-Production and Licensing Licensed co-production manufacturing arrangement through which regional partners such as Maritime Robotics, IEA, and Sagar Defence build Wave Gliders for local markets.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 3 million nautical miles traveled by Wave Glider fleet
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Liquid Robotics
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Liquid Robotics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability1 record
Feature5 records
Liquid Robotics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- SEA (Cohort plc Group)coreSEA awarded contract to supply 22 KraitArray undersea sensing technology to Liquid Robotics for integration into Wave Glider USVs. Project aims to enhance autonomous maritime surveillance, undersea detection, and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
- Sagar Defence EngineeringcoreCo-development and co-production partnership for Wave Glider USVs in India. Sagar Defence inaugurated manufacturing facility in Pune, India (December 4, 2025) to produce Wave Glider platforms. Partnership advances U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership framework and supports Make in India initiative for undersea domain awareness.
- HydronetflagshipPartnership to advance and commercialize underwater mesh networking capabilities for connecting maritime and underwater autonomous vehicles. Successfully demonstrated connectivity through resilient C3 mesh network in live military exercise, remotely coordinating multiple UUVs and Wave Glider USVs using Hydronet's Nexus Software Defined Modem and Edge Processing Platform.
- Sagar Defence EngineeringcoreInitial MoU signed March 19, 2025 to co-develop autonomous surface vessels focusing on enhancing undersea domain awareness and supporting U.S.-India defense cooperation. Collaboration aims to strengthen manufacturing, system interoperability, ocean testing, and maintenance capacity.
- U.S. and Indian GovernmentsflagshipSupported by U.S. White House and Indian Prime Minister's Office for co-development and co-production of Wave Glider USV systems. Partnership supports U.S.-India Defense Industrial Cooperation Roadmap with production for Indian Navy expected by 2025.
- BoeingcoreBoeing acquired Liquid Robotics in December 2016, making it a wholly owned subsidiary. The partnership focuses on autonomous seabed-to-space information services, combining Wave Glider technology with Boeing's defense and aerospace capabilities. Joint developments include maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, and maritime domain awareness solutions.
- Maritime Robotics (Norway)coreAuthorized partner to sell Liquid Robotics' Wave Gliders and associated services throughout Nordic countries. Part of Open Oceans Partner Program for business and technology partnership.
- Ingenieros Electrónicos Asociados (IEA)minorChannel partnership enabling IEA to sell, support, and service Liquid Robotics' Wave Gliders throughout Argentina and Uruguay.
- BoeingcoreMulti-year teaming agreement signed September 23, 2014 for collaboration on product development, maritime services, and operational deployments. Initial focus on anti-submarine warfare, maritime domain awareness, and integrated solutions.
- SchlumbergerminorJoint venture (Liquid Robotics Oil & Gas) to develop services for oil and gas industry using Wave Gliders. Combined Wave Glider technology with Schlumberger oil field services capabilities.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Liquid Robotics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Kongsberg Maritime: Kongsberg Maritime is a major supplier of marine autonomy, AUVs, sonars, and naval systems, competing broadly with Liquid Robotics in autonomous undersea and surface solutions for defense and commercial customers.
- Teledyne Technologies: Teledyne supplies oceanographic instruments, sonars, and marine imaging used in conjunction with USVs; while broader in scope, it overlaps in undersea sensing and maritime surveillance payloads integrated onto platforms like Wave Glider.
- Thales Group: Thales offers naval combat systems, sonars, and unmanned maritime solutions globally, competing with Liquid Robotics in defense undersea surveillance and maritime domain awareness contracts.
- BAE Systems: BAE Systems produces naval platforms, autonomous maritime systems, and undersea sensing solutions, positioning it as a broader defense prime competing for the same MDA/ASW program dollars as Liquid Robotics.
- L3Harris Technologies: L3Harris provides maritime domain awareness, unmanned maritime systems, and undersea sensing for defense customers, overlapping with Wave Glider's ASW and ISR mission set as a broader defense prime.
Emerging players
- Anduril Industries: Anduril is expanding its autonomy and maritime surveillance portfolio (including Dive-LD AUV and seabed-to-space concepts) and competes with Liquid Robotics for defense autonomous maritime program dollars.
Direct peers
- Ocean Infinity: Ocean Infinity operates autonomous marine robotic fleets (USVs and AUVs) for ocean survey, geophysical data, and maritime domain awareness, overlapping with Wave Glider's offshore defense and survey mission profiles.
- Saildrone: Saildrone builds wind- and solar-powered autonomous surface vehicles for ocean data collection and defense surveillance, directly competing with Liquid Robotics in persistent, unmanned ocean missions for government and scientific customers.
Others
- Schmidt Ocean Institute: While primarily a research operator, Schmidt Ocean Institute operates uncrewed ocean platforms (e.g., Saildrone, gliders) for ocean science and is an adjacent ecosystem participant relevant to Wave Glider's research customer base.
Regional players
- Saab (Seaeye / KraitArray supplier): Saab's SEA business supplies KraitArray undersea sensing technology integrated onto Wave Gliders; Saab's broader naval and underwater portfolio makes it a partial peer in undersea surveillance and a partner in integrated maritime autonomy.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Liquid Robotics social profiles
Digital presenceLiquid Robotics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Liquid Robotics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Liquid Robotics subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Liquid Robotics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Liquid Robotics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Liquid Robotics
What does Liquid Robotics do?
Liquid Robotics designs and manufactures the Wave Glider, an unmanned surface vehicle that harvests ocean wave energy for propulsion and solar energy for onboard power. The platform comprises a surface float, a powered umbilical, and a sub-surface glider, and supports modular sensor payloads for missions including maritime domain awareness, ocean data collection, and undersea surveillance. The company also offers mission services, a researchers program, fleet management software, and licensed co-production manufacturing with regional partners.
Is Liquid Robotics a public or private company?
Liquid Robotics is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Liquid Robotics founded?
Liquid Robotics was founded in 2007. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Liquid Robotics based?
Liquid Robotics is headquartered in Sunnyvale, United States, in the North America region.
How does Liquid Robotics make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Wave Glider USV Sales are the primary driver. The others are mission Services, technology Integration Partnerships and co-production and Manufacturing Partnerships.
Who are Liquid Robotics's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Kongsberg Maritime, Teledyne Technologies, Thales Group, BAE Systems and L3Harris Technologies. Anduril Industries is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Ocean Infinity and Saildrone. Schmidt Ocean Institute is listed as an others. Saab (Seaeye / KraitArray supplier) is listed as a regional player.
Does Liquid Robotics have an API?
No public API is recorded for Liquid Robotics.
What industry is Liquid Robotics in?
Liquid Robotics's product category is Autonomous Marine Robotics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAAAIAH, Marine & Underwater Robotics (USVs/UUVs), with a secondary code of IMAJAHAE, Propellers & Waterjets. Its NAICS code is 33661 and its SIC code is 4400.