XOcean has secured $115mn to expand its fleet of uncrewed surface vessels. Founded in 2017 by James Ives, XOcean builds autonomous boats that zip around the ocean, using sensors to gather large amounts of data on everything from the subsurface structures to the temperature and clarity of the seawater. The bots — which are about the size of a small car — then relay this information in real time to a ground team via satellite link. They then turn the numbers and measurements into surveys, maps, or reports. This data is especially helpful for ocean research. It’s also of great…
