Kairox Systems
Kairox Systems develops Tempest, a multi-domain autonomous vehicle that transitions between fixed-wing flight and subsurface transit without reconfiguration. The platform closes the air–sea gap for offshore inspection and littoral military operations, executing a four-phase mission sequence of air transit, water entry, subsurface loiter, and breach-and-egress. The vehicle is currently at technology readiness level 4–5 with two prototype variants in development.
- Autonomous Vehicles
- Drones & Uncrewed Systems
- Defense Tech
- Aerospace
- Robotics
- Mobility & Transportation
- Hardware
- Artificial Intelligence
Funding
Founders
Founder details are not available yet.
Product
Problem
Operations across air and sea environments traditionally require separate assets, operators, and heavy logistics. This fragmentation makes inspections and military missions in littoral zones costly, complex, and slow, particularly in the corrosion-prone splash zone of offshore structures where multiple specialized vehicles are typically needed.
Solution
Kairox Systems offers Tempest, a multi-domain autonomous vehicle that operates in both air and water from a single platform. By combining UAV and UUV capabilities, Tempest closes the air–water gap that current unmanned systems cannot bridge. The platform can inspect the splash zone, topside structure, and subsea foundation of offshore assets in a single mobilization, replacing multi-asset operations. For defense applications, Tempest provides a low-cost, modular solution that enables warfighters to operate effectively in littoral environments where aerial and undersea threats converge. The vehicle executes a four-phase mission sequence—fixed-wing flight, water entry, subsurface transit, and breach-and-egress—without reconfiguration. Two prototype variants are in development, with the design validated in simulation.
Target Audience
Primary customers include offshore energy operators and infrastructure asset owners requiring efficient multi-zone inspection, as well as defense organizations—particularly Navy and special operations forces—seeking low-cost unmanned systems for littoral warfare.
Features
- Single fixed-wing platform capable of flying, diving beneath the surface, and returning to flight without reconfiguration
- Four-phase mission sequence: fixed-wing transit, water entry, low-signature subsurface loiter, and breach-and-egress
- One-deployment inspection coverage of splash zone, topside, and subsea structures on offshore assets
- Low-cost modular design intended for scalable deployment in military littoral operations, supporting attritable ISR and one-way strike missions
- Fully NDAA compliant
- Currently at technology readiness level 4–5, with two prototype variants in parallel development (3D-printed and machined)
- Consolidates the functionality of separate UAV and UUV systems into a single asset