IQUA Robotics

What IQUA Robotics does

IQUA Robotics, S.L. is a Spanish private company founded in October 2016 as a spin-off from the University of Girona's CIRS Underwater Vision and Robotics Lab, where the founding team conducted 10 years of applied marine robotics research. Headquartered at the University of Girona Science and Technology Park, the company designs, manufactures, and commercializes hovering Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and related software, primarily serving scientific research institutions, defense organizations, and industrial/offshore customers.

The company's core products are two hovering AUV platforms — SPARUS II (small-class, rated to 200m depth) and GIRONA 500 (medium-size, rated to 500m depth) — both built on an open-source ROS-based software architecture called COLA2 (Component Oriented Layer-based Architecture for Autonomy). The vehicles feature configurable payload bays that integrate acoustic (multibeam echosounder, sidescan sonar, forward-looking sonar), optical, and magnetic sensors, with demonstrated capabilities including autonomous target detection, real-time reacquisition trajectory planning, adaptive hull tracking, and NATO STANAG 4817 interoperability for multi-domain command and control. A complementary standalone software product, SoundTiles, processes forward-looking sonar data into acoustic mosaics.

IQUA operates a direct enterprise field-sales model with custom quotation-based pricing, multi-year contracts, and accompanying technical support, customization, and training services. Revenue is generated through one-time hardware sales, software licenses, and professional services, with an international customer base spanning Spain, Germany, the UK, Israel, and Korea. The company is privately held with no disclosed external institutional investors and employs between 1 and 10 people.

Name

IQUA Robotics

Legal name

IQUA Robotics, S.L.

Website

https://iquarobotics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IQUA Robotics is a University of Girona spin-off that designs, manufactures, and sells hovering Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (SPARUS II and GIRONA 500) and acoustic mosaic software (SoundTiles) on an open-source ROS architecture, serving scientific research institutions, defense organizations, and industrial customers internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) & Autonomous Submersible Manufacturing (IMAJAOAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV) & Autonomous Subsea Platforms (IMABAIAF), Marine & Underwater Robotics (USVs/UUVs) (HDAAAIAH), Autonomy Software, AI & Mission Management (UAS/UXV) (IMABAIAH)

Keywords

• Autonomous underwater vehicles
• Underwater inspection robots
• Marine robotics platforms
• Sonar mapping software
• Subsea survey systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Girona

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (Hardware): Design, manufacture, and sale of hovering AUVs (SPARUS II and GIRONA 500). Vehicles are sold with configurable sensor payloads tailored to customer needs. Revenue is generated through one-time hardware sales with associated customization and integration services.
2. SoundTiles Software: Stand-alone post-processing software license for underwater acoustic mosaic generation from forward-looking sonar data. Supported by H2020 SME instrument funding.
3. Technical Support and Customization Services: Technical support, training, customization, and integration services to ensure successful implementation and operation throughout the product lifespan. Includes on-site and online training, mission planning assistance, and data processing support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

IQUA Robotics designs, manufactures, and commercializes hovering Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) for survey, mapping, and close-distance inspection of underwater environments. The portfolio includes two AUV platforms (SPARUS II for 200m depth and GIRONA 500 for 500m depth) built on an open-source ROS-based architecture (COLA2) with reconfigurable hardware for diverse sensor payloads. The company also offers SoundTiles, a stand-alone software for automatic acoustic mosaic generation from forward-looking sonar data, along with customization, integration, training, and technical support services.

Product overview

IQUA Robotics designs, manufactures, and commercializes hovering Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and related technologies. The product portfolio includes two AUV platforms—SPARUS II (small-class, 200m depth) and GIRONA 500 (medium-size, 500m depth)—both featuring open architecture for configurable sensor payloads. SoundTiles is a complementary standalone software product for post-processing forward-looking sonar data into acoustic mosaics. End users receive complete solutions covering vehicle operation, sensor integration, and data post-processing for scientific research, industrial/offshore, and security/defense applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SPARUS II: Hovering small-class AUV for survey and inspection operations, maximum depth of 200 meters, designed for mapping the seabed with sensor technology integration.
• GIRONA 500
• SoundTiles

Products and services

• SPARUS II AUV Hovering small-class Autonomous Underwater Vehicle rated to 200 meters depth, designed for survey and close-distance seabed inspection. Supports configurable sensor payloads including multibeam echosounder, sidescan sonar, forward-looking sonar, and optical camera systems. Operable by a 2-person team from various boats.
• GIRONA 500 AUV Hovering medium-size Autonomous Underwater Vehicle rated to 500 meters depth, designed for integrating complex payloads with enhanced stability. Offers full hovering with accurate trajectory control while maintaining efficient hydrodynamics for seabed surveying.
• SoundTiles Software Stand-alone software for automatic generation of underwater acoustic mosaics from forward-looking sonar images. Generates horizontal and vertical maps from individual sonar images with or without navigation information, supporting annotation, measurements, and multiple export formats. Compatible with Soundmetrics, Norbit, Teledyne Blueview, Teledyne Reson, and Blueprint forward-looking sonars.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4 PhD theses defended and 70+ research articles published using SPARUS II AUV technology at UIB-SRV lab.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Integration18 records

AI capability8 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and key.

• University of the Balearic Islands (UIB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing strategic partner. UIB-SRV lab has operated SPARUS II AUVs (TURBOT and ORAT) for a decade, publishing 70+ articles and supporting 4 PhD theses. Collaborative participation in SPANISH MINEX exercises with Spanish Navy. Joint development of multimodal mapping payloads and vision systems.
• Spanish Navy (Armada)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish Navy has acquired two SPARUS II AUV units (2023) for mine countermeasures. Actively collaborates with IQUA and UIB in SPANISH MINEX exercises. Invites IQUA to participate in NATO REPMUS exercises. Provides access to realistic naval scenarios for product validation.
• GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research KielcoreTechnology or IntegrationGEOMAR operates two GIRONA 500 AUVs (ANTON and LUISE). They have developed custom camera payloads (CoraMo Mark 2) integrated into IQUA vehicles. Published research using IQUA platforms in volcano exploration and seafloor mapping.
• Zamakona YardskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated in ESCABVENTS project (funded by PERTE NAVAL / EU NextGenerationEU) to validate AUV-based autonomous ship hull inspection. Zamakona Yards provided real port environments and vessel access for testing, demonstrating commercial viability of the technology.
• Thales GroupkeyTechnology or IntegrationCollaborated during REPMUS 2025 to test STANAG 4817 interoperability. Thales M-Cube Mission Management system successfully tasked SPARUS II for reacquiring four contacts in a specific area, demonstrating third-party C2 integration.
• US NavykeyTechnology or IntegrationCollaborated during REPMUS 2025 to validate STANAG 4817 interoperability. US MK18 REMUS vehicle issued reacquisition tasks via the 4817 protocol to IQUA's SPARUS II, demonstrating cross-platform command and control between US and NATO systems.
• NorbitkeyTechnology or IntegrationNorbit multibeam echosounder (MBES) and WBMS-FLS are integrated into IQUA's SPARUS II and GIRONA 500 AUVs as standard sensor payload options. Norbit sonar data is used for bathymetric mapping, hull inspection, and 3D reconstruction across multiple customer deployments.
• Blueprint SubseakeyTechnology or IntegrationBlueprint Subsea Oculus forward-looking sonar (FLS) is integrated into SPARUS II payloads. Used for automatic target detection, reacquisition, and multimodal contact mapping in MCM and CUI scenarios during REPMUS exercises.
• PLOME Consortium (University of Girona lead)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerSix-partner EU-funded research project (Spanish Research Agency / Next Generation EU) coordinated by University of Girona. IQUA contributes SPARUS II AUV for testing autonomous marine ecosystem monitoring technologies. Project validates remote monitoring without human intervention over multiple weeks.
• Teledyne MarinekeyTechnology or IntegrationTeledyne RDI Pathfinder 600 DVL and Teledyne Blueview M-900 multibeam imaging sonar are integrated into SPARUS II payloads across multiple customer deployments (UIB, KAIST, and others) for precise navigation and acoustic imaging.
• Sonardyne InternationalkeyTechnology or IntegrationSonardyne SPRINT-Nav Mini, AvTrak 6 OEM Nano, and Ranger 2 USBL positioning systems integrated into SPARUS II for NOC and other customers. Enables efficient tracking, position updates, and data exchange with AUV vehicles via acoustic positioning.
• National Oceanography Centre (NOC) – UKkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOC uses SPARUS II as a software testing platform for developments that may be transferred to their broader AUV fleet. Works with Sonardyne and IQUA to integrate SPRINT-Nav, AvTrak 6, and NORBIT WBMS-FLS into ROS architecture across their vehicle fleet.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Blueye Robotics: Norwegian underwater robotics company producing compact observation ROVs and small AUVs for inspection and research. Smaller, more consumer-oriented than IQUA but overlaps in compact underwater vehicle design for inspection and research use cases.
• Sublue (and other consumer/prosumer underwater drone makers): Sublue and similar firms produce small underwater drones/ROVs for consumer and light-professional inspection. Adjacent in form factor and use cases but typically not autonomous AUVs, so only partial overlap with IQUA's autonomous survey/inspection platform.

Broad incumbents

• Teledyne Marine: Major supplier of underwater sensors (sonars, DVLs, cameras) and integrated platforms used in AUVs, ROVs, and oceanographic systems. IQUA integrates multiple Teledyne sensors and competes for similar survey/MCM budgets at the instrument level.
• Atlas Elektronik (TKMS): German defense company offering ARCIMS USV, SeaFox mine disposal vehicles, and integrated MCM solutions for NATO and allied navies. Comparable as a maritime autonomy/defense systems provider with broader portfolio and larger government contracts.
• Saab (Sabertooth, Sea Wasp): Saab's Sabertooth is a hovering AUV with dual-use defense/offshore applications, and Sea Wasp targets hull inspection and EOD. Direct overlap in hovering AUV design and defense/inspection use cases that IQUA targets with SPARUS II.
• Kongsberg Maritime (HUGIN AUV): One of the world's leading commercial AUV manufacturers (HUGIN family), supplying survey- and inspection-class AUVs to navies, research institutes, and offshore operators globally. Directly comparable to IQUA in AUV manufacturing and the survey/MCM/inspection use cases, but at much larger scale and depth rating.

Direct peers

• L3Harris Technologies (Iver AUV): Manufactures the Iver family of small/medium AUVs used by US Navy and research organizations for survey, MCM, and environmental monitoring. Direct competitor in the small-class commercial AUV category serving overlapping customer profiles.
• Huntington Ingalls Industries / Hydroid (REMUS): REMUS is the de facto standard small/medium AUV for the US Navy and many allied forces, used extensively for MCM and survey missions. Closely comparable product category (small-class AUV) and end markets, with vastly larger installed base and government procurement share.

Others

• Sonardyne International: Leading provider of acoustic positioning and navigation systems (SPRINT-Nav, Ranger 2 USBL) used across the AUV/ROV industry. Functions as both a sensor integration partner (IQUA uses Sonardyne) and adjacent technology vendor competing for budget on subsea autonomy projects.

Regional players

• Maritime Robotics: Norwegian provider of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and supporting autonomy systems for survey and inspection; UIB acquired an ASV from Maritime Robotics alongside IQUA AUVs. Adjacent in autonomous marine survey workflows and often deployed alongside AUVs in joint campaigns.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iquarobotics

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 IQUA Robotics