Working underwater is one of the toughest environments on Earth. Crushing pressure, corrosive salt water, near-zero visibility, and the absence of GPS signals make it treacherous for humans and machines alike. Yet today, most critical infrastructure is still inspected by divers, a process that is dangerous, laborious, and costly. Aquatonomy is flipping that script by building autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) that can handle risky, complex jobs, navigating GPS-denied environments to deliver crystal-clear 3D models of submerged assets.
Fifteen years of research by Aquatonomy Co-founder Dr. Michael Kaess, Associate Professor at Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Institute, laid the foundation for a breakthrough in autonomous marine robotics. His work in robot perception and computer vision has been proven in domains as extreme as lunar rovers, drones, and self-driving vehicles. Today, that research powers AUVs that take on the most hazardous underwater operations, from routine bridge and dam inspections to pre-drydock ship hull inspections and emergency surveys. What once took divers hours in dangerous, murky waters can now be done faster, safer, and with greater precision. Aquatonomy’s Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) model puts advanced autonomy directly in the hands of asset owners, giving them the clarity to spot problems early, plan smarter, and keep critical infrastructure running strong.
With a PhD in Human-Computer Interaction, COO and Co-founder Dr. Xiaoyu Kaess bridges the divide between human-centered design and robotics with a hands-on approach. So hands-on, in fact, that she got her diving license to experience the challenges divers and companies faced firsthand. That insight, paired with her expertise in market strategy and product delivery, ensures Aquatonomy’s solutions truly fit the needs of the people who use them.
“We wouldn’t have made so much progress and built so many meaningful connections without the Robotics Factory.”
— Xiaoyu Kaess, Founder & COO
Solution
For Aquatonomy, transforming years of research into a working proof-of-concept vehicle required more than great ideas—it required hands-on support. The Robotics Factory provided exactly that, giving the team access to testing facilities, machining tools, and rapid prototyping resources. Mechanical and electrical assistance helped propel development, while access to shop space and equipment allowed the team to fabricate custom
components and test early builds in assembled water tanks. This support was critical for moving from off-the-shelf parts to a full-stack product explicitly designed for the harsh realities of underwater deployment. The team successfully built and tested the entire hardware and software systems for its underwater robot, culminating in a live product demonstration that showcased its ability to collect data from the depths of a lake floor. The demo generated momentum for the company, opening the door for a subsequent pilot project.
But the Robotics Factory’s role went far beyond prototyping and design assistance. As part of the inaugural Accelerate Program cohort, Aquatonomy validated its target market through extensive customer interviews, site visits, and market research, sharpening its business model and growth strategy. The program also provided workshops led by experts, event opportunities that connected the team to investors, mentors, and customers, and the funding to hire its first engineer. By pairing technical resources with entrepreneurial guidance, the Robotics Factory helped Aquatonomy translate research into real-world impact—positioning the company to scale its influence on critical infrastructure safety and renewable energy.
Aquatonomy’s trajectory is anchored by world-class research at MIT, Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), and the University of Michigan, and strengthened by support from federal and industry leaders like the Office of Naval Research, DARPA, the Department of Energy, and the US Army Corps of Engineers. Regionally, the company has tapped into Pittsburgh’s innovation ecosystem, from CMU’s VentureBridge program to a win at the 2023–2024 Duquesne New Venture Challenge, while partnerships with Innovation Works and the Robotics Factory have sharpened its technology and go-to-market strategy. From renewable energy installations to shipping fleets, asset owners gain a powerful tool for monitoring health, detecting changes over time, and maintenance planning. Aquatonomy isn’t just taking humans out of harm’s way—they are redefining how industries manage the life cycle of critical underwater assets.
