WaiV Robotics
UK maritime robotics startup building the first autonomous VTOL landing platform for moving vessels, backed by $7.5M seed funding in 2026.
WaiV Robotics is a British maritime autonomous infrastructure company founded in 2023 and headquartered in London, UK, with a US entity (Waiv Robotics Inc.) in Virginia. The company emerged from stealth in May 2026 with the announcement of a $7.5 million (€6.4 million) seed funding round and the launch of its flagship product, the WR-15 autonomous UAV landing platform.
WaiV Robotics was founded by CEO Johnny Carni along with a team that includes a naval helicopter pilot, a chemistry professor, and veteran mechanical and aeronautical engineers with decades of hands-on expertise in VTOL maritime operations and UAV technologies. The company's mission is to make VTOL UAV operations at sea safe, precise, and predictable — eliminating the critical operational barrier of reliably landing drones on moving vessels.
The WR-15 system is the world's first fully automatic landing and takeoff platform designed specifically for VTOL UAVs operating in maritime environments. It is vessel-agnostic (deployable on any vessel type or size, including vessels as small as 10 meters), UAV-agnostic (compatible with multirotor, fixed-wing VTOL, and helicopter UAVs with no hardware or software modifications required to the drone), and all-weather capable (designed to operate in rain, wind, haze, poor visibility, and rough sea states). The system uses a self-leveling landing pad, proprietary catch-lock-release mechanism, and AI-driven predictive algorithms that continuously track vessel motion and UAV position in real time to guide autonomous landings. Future versions planned to support UAVs up to 300 kg.
Target markets include naval forces and coast guard (patrol and rapid response), maritime safety and emergency services (search and rescue, oil spill response), government and research vessels, law enforcement and port security, offshore energy inspection, offshore service operators, port authorities, fishing vessels, and cruise ships. WaiV Robotics exhibited at XPONENTIAL 2026 (Detroit), Japan Drone 2026, and Energy Drone & Robotics Summit 2026 (Houston).
Primary type & automation activities this supplier delivers:
WR-15 Autonomous Maritime UAV Landing System
- Model: WR-15
- Launch Year: 2026
The world's first fully automatic VTOL UAV landing and takeoff platform for moving vessels, operating without modifications to the UAV.
Contact WaiV Robotics
WEBSITE
https://waivrobotics.com/HEADQUARTERS
United Kingdom
Company Facts
Founded
2023
Primary Role
Manufacturer
Company Size
-
Primary Region
Europe
Annual Sales
-
Funding Stage
Early-Stage VC
Funding Total
-
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