The missing piece in autonomous marine defense is not the boat - it's the ability to get it back, refuel it, and keep it operating. Amitai Peleg, Co-Founder and CEO of Sealartec, reveals how his team is solving the logistics bottleneck that has kept unmanned surface vessels from scaling, and why that breakthrough could change naval operations worldwide.
David Yahid of CET Sandbox sits down with Amitai to unpack the hard truth behind marine robotics: launching a drone boat is easy, but recovering it in rough seas is the real barrier to mass deployment. Amitai explains how Sealartec turned that overlooked problem into a patented system for autonomous launch, recovery, docking, and refueling - technology that is already being demonstrated with major defense players.
You'll discover:
- Why autonomous boats still need a "landing" solution before they can become truly useful
- How a Navy experience and a mechanical engineering background sparked the company
- The garage-built prototype that led to a working sea trial in harsh conditions
- How Sealartec moved from first funding to live demonstrations with the US Navy and US Coast Guard
- Why autonomous refueling may unlock far larger scale than launch and recovery alone
Amitai shares how Sealartec's systems are now being tested and deployed with organizations including BAE Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries, the US Navy, the US Coast Guard, and other global maritime partners. He also explains why the company is shifting toward the US market, building local production strategies, and preparing for a future where autonomous vessels can operate longer, farther, and at greater scale.
This episode is essential listening if you're interested in defense technology, autonomous systems, marine robotics, or the infrastructure that makes unmanned fleets actually viable. If you've ever wondered what it takes to turn a launch-and-recovery bottleneck into the backbone of the autonomous navy, this conversation lays it out.