Hydromea set to launch its game-changing EXRAY inspection robot

Hydromea, the Vaud-based start-up specializing in underwater robotics and communication, is disrupting the way submerged assets are monitored across burgeoning blue-economy sectors, including wind power, carbon capture and storage, and aquaculture.

Founded in 2014 as a part of an EPFL project and based in Renens (canton of Vaud), Hydromea has significantly grown its market-oriented activities since 2018. The start-up has already pioneered groundbreaking technologies in underwater communication and robotics, gaining more than 50 global customers. Their previous success stories include the development of a miniature optical modem, LUMA, which offers fast, reliable communication under the sea surface. The company has also recently secured substantial funding, enabling it to further propel R&D efforts and foster groundbreaking solutions.

“Monitoring submerged assets today is inefficient, costly and dangerous,” said CEO & Co-Founder Igor Martin. However, Hydromea’s unique ecosystem of autonomous collaborating, underwater drones can change this. These low-footprint systems cost only a fraction of the price of existing ones, enabling economical data collection, distribution, and analysis below the water line.

Revolutionizing submerged asset inspection and monitoring

One of Hydromea’s significant advancements is the world’s thinnest hub-less thrusters, which never tangle up even in the dirtiest water conditions. This technology enables the slim build of aquatic vehicles like the EXRAY. The company has also developed wireless optical modems that facilitate high-speed, short-range wireless communication underwater. Both products generate revenue and support the development of Hydromea’s platform, attracting a range of customers from industry, defense, and research sectors.

Hydromea’s cutting-edge EXRAY robot is set to be a game-changer. Its team has solved the challenge of fast, wireless communication between the pilot and robot. The absence of tether management significantly improves the efficiency of inspection jobs. With its ability to consistently collect high-quality datasets, EXRAY will revolutionize submerged asset inspection and monitoring, making preventive maintenance strategies easier to implement.

The EXRAY inspection robot is set to launch in September 2023, with Hydromea planning to further invest in its commercial and manufacturing capabilities. “We have strong interest from customers in the offshore and onshore industries that have assets submerged in water,” says Martin. Looking to the future, Hydromea is planning a Series A funding round in early 2024 to accelerate market scaling.