Contract manager Andy Bennett noted that many drones fly, and some can swim, but \u201cair is really thin, and water is really thick.\u201d Creating propellers that can efficiently slice through both environments \u201cis the secret sauce.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s a hard thing to do,\u201d Bennett said of the balancing act. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of seemingly simple things put together that make it special.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The Naviator can carry customizable payloads.<\/p>\n
Dr. F. Javier Diaz, CEO of SubUAS, co-founded the New Jersey-based company in 2016. He is also a professor of mechanical engineering at Rutgers University, where he helped develop technology for an innovative drone platform \u2013 the Naviator.<\/p>\n
The Naviator was named the Unmanned Surface Vehicle\/Unmanned Underwater Vehicle of the Year at the 2025 Innovation Vanguard Awards<\/a> in May. SubUAS has received over $36 million in U.S. Department of Defense contracts.<\/p>\n Other recent milestones include dual-domain offshore wind farm inspections, infrastructure assessments with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and \u201cpartner deployments in Europe and the Middle East,\u201d according to the SubUAS website. Bennett said the startup is \u201cnot white-labeling or rebranding somebody else\u2019s product.\u201d<\/p>\n SubUAS owns its headquarters and manufacturing facility in New Jersey and has now opened a second office in St. Petersburg. \u201cSo, it\u2019s a growth company \u2013 we\u2019re doing great things,\u201d Bennett said.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re a U.S. company owned by U.S. citizens that are making products in the U.S.,\u201d he continued. \u201cThat is a wonderful story.\u201d<\/p>\n SubUAS must ensure its drones are light enough to fly through the air without compromising resistance to harsh saltwater environments. The customizable Naviator has a maximum flight speed of 40 mph, a 10-mile range and can carry a nearly 100-pound payload.<\/p>\n The Naviator can operate at 1,000 feet below the surface, has a 10-mile communication range and can feature high-definition cameras, infrared sensors, imaging sonars, echosounders, edge computing capabilities and a host of other electronic systems, while remaining underwater for two hours. It can also fly through the air for 45 minutes.<\/p>\n \u201cA really big propeller, a really big blade, would be super efficient,\u201d Bennett explained. \u201cBut it\u2019s so heavy that it would take so much energy and battery power to spin it. So again, you\u2019ve got to find that sweet spot.\u201d<\/p>\n Use cases include search and rescue operations, infrastructure inspections, port reconnaissance, dive training and sport fishing. The war in Ukraine has also highlighted the increasing importance of drones on today\u2019s battlefields.<\/p>\n Bennet noted the Naviator could emerge from the water, complete a mission, return to the sea and disappear. SubUAS does not manufacture munitions. However, clients can add their preferred payloads after purchasing the drone.<\/p>\n Working out of the Hub will help SubUAS and its partners identify new uses. Bennett, a Tampa native, believes the region is home<\/a> to an \u201camazing amount of innovation, and the St. Petersburg Innovation District\u2019s<\/a> facility is an \u201coutstanding example of that.\u201d<\/p>\n He said organizations cannot be \u201call things to all people.\u201d Partnerships foster success, and the Hub\u2019s leadership has cultivated a \u201cgroup of companies that play nicely in the sandbox with each other and others.\u201d<\/p>\n For example, he said SubUAS could potentially augment a Saildrone mission. The former company could also, theoretically, land a Naviator on the former\u2019s uncrewed surface vessel to receive a solar-powered charge.<\/p>\n Bennett has discussed ocean mapping with the neighboring USF College of Marine Science. U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, known for its search and rescue proficiency, is a short walk away. He believes the Naviator could multiply operational effectiveness without using expensive helicopters or additional personnel.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a concept that is really cool to talk about,\u201d Bennett said of the drone\u2019s capabilities. \u201cBut when you see it, your mind just starts racing with different ideas. Your brain starts going, \u2018Oh wow, I could use that in all sorts of places.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n The Innovation District will formally introduce SubUAS to the community next week. Bennett is a featured speaker at the 2025 State of Science<\/a> and Innovation, held virtually and in-person Wednesday, Jan. 15, at the Johns Hopkins All Children\u2019s Hospital Research and Education Building.<\/p>\n When asked if SubUAS would remain in St. Petersburg as it grows, Bennett said, \u201cAbsolutely.\u201d He called creating a home at the Hub a \u201cno-brainer.\u201d<\/p>\n