Bedrock Ocean dredges up $25M to map the seafloor with robots

Despite covering over 70% of our planet, detailed maps of the ocean floor remain elusive, often being less comprehensive than lunar maps. This challenge stems from the ocean's obscured depths and the difficult conditions that hinder human exploration. However, with advancements in robotics, a clearer understanding of the underwater world may soon be within reach. Leading the charge in this endeavor is Bedrock Ocean, which has recently raised $25 million in a Series A-2 funding round, with contributions from Primary, Northzone, Autopilot, Costanoa Ventures, Harmony Partners, Katapult, and Mana Ventures. The startup has engineered an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) capable of operating for up to 12 hours on lithium-ion batteries while utilizing sonar and magnetic sensors to map the seabed. Traditionally, ocean mapping has relied on large ships that emit powerful sonar blasts, which are resource-intensive and can disturb marine ecosystems. "The longstanding goal has been to find a viable alternative to these traditional vessels," stated Brandon Mah, co-founder and CEO of Bedrock Ocean, in an interview with TechCrunch. While the AUVs are deployed from ships, they function independently underwater. Remarkably, two AUVs can cover as much area as one conventional mapping vessel, and a single 40-foot ship can transport between 10 to 12 AUVs. Mah revealed that each AUV costs under $1 million to produce, and the company has also crafted its own software for both operational control and mapping processes. The vehicles gather data on-site and perform initial processing before surfacing to transmit information back to the ship via Wi-Fi. A Starlink antenna on the ship can then relay this data to the cloud, enabling real-time monitoring. Mah emphasized that this system allows for immediate confirmation of data quality and identification of areas that may require further exploration. The AUVs operate at a depth of five to ten meters above the seabed, which permits them to utilize less potent sonar, reducing the impact on marine mammals since their frequencies are inaudible to these creatures. Furthermore, Bedrock’s technology achieves placement accuracy of one to two meters on the ocean floor, though this is less precise than the sub-meter accuracy offered by traditional ships due to the loss of GPS signals underwater. Rather than focusing solely on high-precision surveys, Mah argues that many underwater operations would benefit from quicker mapping solutions. For instance, offshore wind operators may initially seek sub-meter surveys but may find that two-meter accuracy suffices during construction phases. In recent months, Bedrock Ocean has been engaged in paid survey projects for offshore wind, oil and gas industries, as well as environmental assessments. Their swift data collection capabilities have even attracted interest from the U.S. Navy, who were reportedly impressed by the technology during demonstrations.