Liquid Robotics

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.

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

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

• Uncrewed surface vehicles
• Wave-powered ocean robots
• Maritime domain awareness
• Ocean data collection
• Autonomous marine systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Sunnyvale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. Mission Services: Ongoing mission support, deployment services, and operational management for Wave Glider fleets including data collection and delivery services.
3. Technology Integration Partnerships: Joint development and integration of specialized sensors and systems (sonar, communications) into the Wave Glider platform for specific mission requirements.
4. 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

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• SEA (Cohort plc Group)coreTechnology or Integration · 17 December 2025SEA 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 EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 December 2025Co-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.
• HydronetflagshipTechnology or Integration · 22 August 2025Partnership 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 EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2025Initial 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 GovernmentsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 September 2024Supported 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.
• BoeingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2016Boeing 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)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 7 September 2016Authorized 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 Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 27 April 2016Channel partnership enabling IEA to sell, support, and service Liquid Robotics' Wave Gliders throughout Argentina and Uruguay.
• BoeingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 September 2014Multi-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.
• SchlumbergerminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 June 2012Joint 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

Broad 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

• Xx.com/liquidrobotics
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/LIQUIDROBOTICSinc/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/liquidrobotics
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/liquid-robotics
• Instagraminstagram.com/liquidrobotics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Liquid Robotics